Rise Against the Dark Tide
by SoJoGoGo
Summary: BtVS/HP - AU – OotP, Raised in the muggle world, Willow Rosenberg finds she's more than your average human when she's befriended by Buffy Summers and learns about the Hellmouth, the Wizarding World and where she fits into it all. (I was asked to repost it - so I'm editing it too - I may finish it, but no promises)
1. Chapter 1

**Rise Against the Dark Tide**

 **By: SoJoGoGo**

 **Rating: PG-13 might go up to a R**

 **Pairings: W/T, Her/V, G/J, X/C… might be more**

 **Summary:** BtVS/HP - AU – OotP, Raised in the muggle world, Willow Rosenberg finds she's more than your average human when she's befriended by Buffy Summers and learns about the Hellmouth, the Wizarding World and where she fits into it all.

 **Author's Notes:** I got this into my head after seeing so many stories that have Buffy as Harry's long lost sister. But you know, the girl can't do magic, and suddenly she can (most of the stories where they can suddenly do magic because they met Dumbledore always confused me). How could Buffy be Harry's sister? Willow I can see. Number one – she's a powerful witch who didn't know it. Two – she looks a bit like what Harry's mother does and she would have James's eyes. Three- they're the same age if you follow the years in the book. Freaky.

 **Changes to HP –** Harry finds another prophecy in the Department of Mysteries. There's more than one wizarding country. Hermione isn't in love with Ron at any time though there is the crush. And yes, I made up other wizarding stuff that doesn't sound familiar.

 **Changes to BtVS –** Shifted everything forward a year. Buffy comes to Sunnydale with her newly divorced mom when she's 15, not 16. They're Freshmen in High School. Willow finds out about magic and her power when she's younger, she just needs some guidance.

 **Disclaimer:** The world of Buffy belongs to Joss Whedon. The world of Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling. I just mess with them, no money being made.

 **oooooooooooo**

 **October 7 1980**

Lily Evans Potter looked out over the dark of the night in Godric's Hollow as she listened to her husband, two of their best friends and a few of their school mentors argue quietly in the living room.

She couldn't handle the conversation anymore. Prophecies, they would be the death of her she swore to herself. For the most part she didn't believe in them herself. But one was spoken of what could be her infant son Harry, not more than five months ago, about how he would be the one to face Voldemort. The redhead glanced down into the cradle to see her dark headed son sound asleep.

And now this, she shook her head as she closed her eyes and rocked her daughter, twin to her son, against her. Red hair like her own with James's hazel eyes, she was beautiful, perfect. And from this new prophecy, they had no choice.

James came into the room and the two new parents looked to each other making tears well up in Lily's eyes. "This isn't right," she whispered to him.

James came up and kissed her then the top of their daughter's fuzzy red head. "If we want her to live we must, Lil," he whispered back. "Remus will find her a good home."

Sorrow caught in Lily's throat as James took up a small bag with the baby's things in them, he looked through it to make sure that everything was there, he stopped as he pulled out a small bag and looked to Lily who replied with a shrug, he opened it and poured out a pendant, it was gold with a willow tree engraven on it and on the back was a picture of the two of them holding both of the babies, and with a wave of his hand the picture was gone and in its place was her name, her parents name, her brother's and the name Albus Dumbledore and Hogwarts was newly put on.

It was to be a present for her when she was older, but now… James slid it back into the bag. "For good luck then," he told Lily as he took their daughter up. Lily held onto her pressing kiss after kiss into her head and cheeks making the infant wriggle under the pressure. James kissed the baby many times as well until the hazel eyes opened and the two looked to her for a long while until there was a knock and their young friend Remus Lupin came to the door.

Lily wiped away her tears and kissed the baby once more. James wrapped her up and handed the bag and slowly the child to him. Remus nodded as he held her carefully. "I swear," he told them as he tucked the child into his arm. "I will protect her with every breath in my body, with every ounce of my soul."

James nodded to him as Lily clenched her jaw willing herself not to cry as the tears still streamed down her cheeks. Remus left and Lily buried herself in James's chest and he held her tight. "Be safe Willow," James whispered into his wife's hair and looked to his son whose other half was gone. "Be safe."

 **October 9 1980**

It was early evening when Remus Lupin apparated to a small enclosure outside of Seattle, Washington. It was Seabourgh, one of the wizarding cities in the United States with baby Willow in his arm. He had spent two days apparating all over the world so that his trail would be cold if anyone dared to trail him. He found a small herbalist shop there 'Witch Hazel and Vine' and went inside. It was just closing and all the business was done for the day.

"Wilson," he called out.

A man who was much older than the twenty year old came through a small curtain behind the counter. "Remus!" he said with a smile. He hadn't seen the boy for many years. Not since his great aunt had died who was a good friend of his. "I almost didn't recognize you, if not for the owl you sent."

Remus nodded as Wilson saw what was in his arm. "Is this her then?" he asked softly as he came around to see the bundle.

"It is," Remus told him as he carefully handed her over.

Wilson uncovered the little face and there was the beautiful little redheaded girl. "She's beautiful."

Remus nodded as he looked to the product of two of his dearest friends. "I would like to stop in every year or so to see how she is," he told him. Wilson looked his way. "Nothing intrusive," Remus said. "Just to see her."

Wilson looked to the young man. "Remus, is she yours?" he asked.

Remus shook his head. "No, but I am her godfather," he replied. "If I could keep her, I would, but she'll be safer here."

Wilson nodded slowly. "Okay, but I won't give her back. I can't do that to Emily, not after we've tried so hard to have children."

Remus nodded. "I know. I won't." He handed over the bag. "Her name is Willow," he told him. "I would hope you'd keep that."

Wilson smiled. "It's a perfect name for us." He looked to the baby and heard the door to the shop open. He looked up and Remus had gone. He headed into the back room as sleepy hazel eyes opened up. "Emily," he called out softly and the eyes locked onto him. "Emily!" he said a little louder and the baby wriggled in the swaddling about her.

Emily came out from the stock room; she was short and soft with a sweet look to her. "What?" she asked. She looked to the baby in his arms. "Wilson Gale," she started to reprimand him.

Wilson smiled. "A very dear friend needed a home for a little one," he told her. "I said yes." He handed her over and her trembling hands took the baby to her. "You're a mama."

Tears welled up in Emily Gale's eyes as she rocked the baby to her. "It's a day of miracles," she told him. All work was forgotten as Wilson closed the shop and the two headed to their home on the top floor of the shop. Baby Willow Juliet Gale was a welcome addition to their home.

 **October 31 1981**

Wilson Gale smiled to his customer as they heard a baby in the background cry and cry. "Willow, she's beginning to teethe," he told the woman.

"Rosewort, as you know," the customer said. "Works like a charm."

Wilson nodded with a smile as the woman left. He went in the back and found Emily walking Willow up and down the aisle between the bottles of herbs and growing plants. Willow was just over a year and cute as a button, the two couldn't be happier to have her.

"What's wrong?" he asked his wife as he stroked the dark red hair of his child. "Do we need a mediwitch?"

Emily shook her head. "She started crying half an hour ago," she told him as Willow sobbed a little and a tiny thumb went into her mouth. She did not look happy, the other hand clung into Emily's robes and wouldn't let go.

They watched her for a few days until finally she started to sleep regular again. They didn't know what had happened to her.

Over in England James and Lily Potter were found dead. Harry was in his crib crying as Dumbledore and McGonagall came rushing in with Remus not to far behind. They looked to the lightening bolt scar on Harry's head. Remus left without a word to see how little Willow was.

 **December 21 1981**

Auror Cameron Berkin looked over the remains of a fire that had roared through fifteen shops earlier that night. It had been the Bloodfangs, a gang of wizards that wanted power in the Northwest wizarding world. The authorities had killed three of them and caught a handful. Just being one of them sent you to Karavak Prison way out in the Pacific Ocean.

He looked to the smoldering remains of Witch Hazel and Vine. Auror Peri Dunlap came out. She shook her head. "They're both dead, Bloodfangs hexed them," she told him. "There was a crib, but I didn't see any baby, no remains of any either."

Berkin bit on his lip as he looked at the chaos around them. "Make sure," he said. "Get the others to sweep the area and do a locator charm. Maybe they had a niece or nephew over."

Dunlap shrugged. "Could be."

 **oooooooooooo**

It wasn't, neighbors became distraught over little Willow gone missing. Word went up throughout the Northwest and slowly over the Ministry's line until the national wizarding news put out that Baby Willow Gale had been taken from her home by the notorious Bloodfang gang. A cry went up and the Auror commission went on a headhunt to wipe out the gang.

Five years, then ten and fifteen went by. No one in the wizarding world was ever sure they would see baby Willow again.

 **December 24 1981**

It was a warm California evening as Cally Glover came to a small house in Sunnydale. She was a social worker and had been called on a case where an elderly woman had found an abandoned infant crawling from a garbage heap in her backyard.

Ms. Glover found the little girl to be about a year old, the woman had cleaned her up and fed her what a baby that small could eat. The redheaded child's big hazel eyes bore into her soul as she tottered around in an adult sized t shirt dragging it on the floor as the woman handed Ms. Glover a pendant found clutched in the child's hand. It was of a willow tree.

Five days later Ira and Sheila Rosenberg took their newly adopted daughter Willow home, her pendant put in a safe deposit box for safe keeping and the tale of her being found and adopted to be told when she was older.

 **August 10 1982**

Dumbledore came to the Three Broomsticks to see Remus Lupin sitting at a back table drinking from a glass in one hand with a bottle of firewhiskey in the other. He looked smashed and heartbroken. Madam Rosmerta shook her head at him not knowing what the young man was so upset about to try and drink himself into oblivion.

Dumbledore came over to the table, watery bloodshot eyes looked his way. "I loss her Headmaster," Remus whispered stumbling drunkenly over his words.

Dumbledore sat down next to him looking around to see if any one was about that could cause trouble. "What are you going on about, Remus?" he asked him as he put a hand on his former student's shoulder.

"First James and Lily,… can't see Harry anymore," Remus said into his glass looking to the last of his whiskey then to Dumbledore. "I went to check on her," he said and Dumbledore nodded knowing of who he was talking about. "The Yank Bloodfangs, they killed ten people, burned down fifteen shops last Christmas."

Dumbledore nodded again. "I remember hearing about that."

"That's where I put her," Remus hissed angrily, the alcohol making him more enraged. "I went to check on her at her birthday. They were dead; she was missing not to be found. They're still searching."

Dumbledore went pale as he realized what he was saying. "Did you-," he started.

"Of course I did!" Remus snapped at him, the glass cracking under the pressure of his grip. "She's my responsibility! One thing James asked me to watch after and I failed him!" He threw the glass into the fireplace smashing it into pieces, the fire roared for a moment then died out. Rosmerta and the other patrons looked their way but Remus buried his face in his hands and wept. "I searched all over, every lead I could find for the past ten days!" he told the Headmaster. "Any Bloodfang that could tell me is dead or in Karavak prison," Remus said. "No one goes up against those bloody wyverns they have guarding the place."

Dumbledore shook his head. "Remus, the Order will look for her together."

Remus stood up shaking his head. "No, she's my responsibility. I'll find her."

Dumbledore stood up now. "Remus-," he started.

"I have to do one thing right in my life, Albus," Remus said interrupting him. "One thing, I won't rest until I find her." Dumbledore couldn't do anything as Remus apparated away. He sighed as he paid Rosmerta for the drinks and the glass that was shattered. He headed for the school; he needed to inform some people.

 **To Be Continued…**


	2. Chapter 2

**October 3 1985**

Five year old, pig tailed, Willow Danielle Rosenberg crouched down on the sand in the playground during recess at Kindergarten, in her new overalls and green t shirt watching as her bestest best friend in the whole world Xander Harris did his most amazing jump from the merry go round ever.

Or he was planning to once he let go.

He went around and around on it, the chubby little boy with his dirty red wranglers and gray t shirt clung on for dear life as the spinning went a little slower then a little slower with each turn.

"JUMP!" Willow called out as she waited.

Xander shook his head. "Not yet!" he yelled back.

Willow's little brow furrowed as she watched wanting to help her friend as she felt something build up inside her, she had felt it before but not like this. She let it go as she jumped up encouraging him by doing it herself. "JUMP!" she yelled again. He did. His eyes went wide as it seemed like someone pushed him from behind and he sailed through the air to land near her, his face making it into the sand first. She crouched down again and waddled over to her friend as he didn't move. "Xanther?" she asked, not fully wrapping her tongue around D's yet. "You okay?" she asked.

He groaned a little when she pushed him. So the tiny girl struggled to roll him over. She looked directly into his face as sand covered it. "Xanther?" she asked softly, her voice lilting up worried about him.

Xander opened his eyes to see her. "I jumped," he told her.

She nodded. "You went far," she said and they looked to see that he had made it a total of two feet which was really far when you're five.

He smiled as he sat up and blood began to run from his nose. Willow paled; Xander didn't realize he was bleeding. He wiped his nose on the back of his hand. "I can do it again," he said with a smile wanting to impress his friend.

"Blooth, blooth!" Willow said with a scream dancing around in a panic as the teacher on duty came running. Xander looked to the blood on his hand in awe.

"Xander, again?" the teacher said as Willow grabbed the teacher's pant leg and hid her face from the sight of the blood. The boy was known for getting hurt, while Willow just watched in fascination.

"I jumped from the go-round all by myself!" he said loudly and quite proudly as the teacher got a tissue and held it to his nose to help stop the bleeding.

"Yes you did, let's get you to the nurse," she said as she unwrapped Willow from her leg. "You can come too, Willow."

Willow did bravely holding Xander's hand, but not the one with blood on it.

 **April 17 1987**

Willow sat in the Harris's living room watching a dismal looking Xander. It was his seventh birthday and he hadn't gotten what he wanted. The fire truck they saw in the toy store when her mommy took them by there. Willow's mommy said it was too much money when Willow wanted to get it for him. Willow scowled as she looked to Xander's mother, Mrs. Harris.

Willow's mommy called her a lush. She wasn't sure what that was but it had to do with fancy plants. She looked it up in her daddy's big dictionary set in his study. Mrs. Harris didn't look like a plant and they didn't have any in the house.

Willow sat down by Xander who looked to his coloring set from her and a toy airplane from Jesse. "I'm sorry," Willow said to him.

Xander shrugged dejectedly. "It's okay," he told her glumly. He was used to it.

"I will find you a fire truck," she told him. "A big one."

He smiled her way a little. "Real big?"

She nodded as she looked to Xander's dad talking to some woman at the house next door. She and Xander had spied on them once, and seen them doing a disgusting thing, kissing. Then Xander got sad. It wasn't Xander's mommy that his daddy was kissing. She set her eyes on the woman who walked back into the other house as the doorbell rang at the Harris's.

Jesse answered the door; it was his 'thing'. He wanted to be a doorman at a hotel where he could pet the dogs that came through and they gave you money just for holding the door open.

Sheila Rosenberg came in and looked to the house as Mrs. Harris got up from the couch with a drink in hand. Willow watched her mommy, she knew her mommy didn't like Xander's house. It wasn't very clean, and they didn't have nice things like Willow's house did. "Sheila," Mrs. Harris said as she came over.

Willow's mommy looked disapprovingly at her too. Mrs. Harris was dressed in an old housecoat over her ratty work uniform for a local supermarket deli. Willow's mommy was in a dress suit from work. She was a thinker, she made people think. Apparently it was a big deal. Willow wanted to be a monster like the one she saw in the alley the other night as her daddy drove them home from dinner at a fancy restaurant. It was all glowy eyed and scary, but then it left by jumping up to a rooftop. She told her parents but they smiled and liked her imagination telling her it was good for her to pretend.

"Jessica," Sheila replied trying to disguise the distastefulness evident in her eyes. "Thank you for inviting Willow to Xander's birthday party."

Jessica nodded not really caring. "Sure thing," she replied as she looked to the children. "Xander loves his gifts, don't you?"

Xander nodded and Willow didn't look happy again. She hugged Xander hard. "I'll get your truck," she promised him.

Willow stood and went to her mommy who took her hand. "Did you thank Mrs. Harris for letting you come?" her mommy asked her.

Willow looked up to Mrs. Harris. "Thank you," she told her. Mrs. Harris nodded again and the two turned to leave.

Jesse had his hand held out as he still held the door open waiting for his tip. Willow's mommy took out a dime and put it in the boy's hand. "Thank you!" Jesse said happily. "Bye Willow."

"Bye," Willow replied. "Bye Xander!" she called out.

"Bye," Xander said.

Willow got into the car and her mommy made sure she was buckled in tight. Willow looked to the neighbor's house again as that little feeling grew inside her. She looked to the house and wished it would burn so Xander could get his fire truck. Willow's mommy pulled out and headed for their neighborhood a mile away.

"Did you have a nice time?" her mommy asked.

Willow nodded, not seeing the flame that came from the basement up into the first floor of the neighbor's house. She heard about it from an excited Xander at school the next day.

 **December 12 1987**

"I think you should come for Christmas, Remus," Molly Weasley said as she put a kettle on in her kitchen at the Burrow. Remus looked like a shell of his former self. His eyes were hollow and he was painfully thin.

Remus shook his head as Arthur spoke up. "Yes, why not?" he told their friend. "You've been so busy you've never even met the children."

"Albus told me you finally have a daughter," Remus said avoiding the question as he took a cup of tea from Molly. She set a plate of sausages, bacon, eggs, fried tomatoes and toast by him and one to her husband.

The Weasley's smiled at this. "Ginevra, or Ginny as the boys have been calling her. She's six now," Molly said.

Remus nodded as he looked to his tea and sipped on it. It was silent for a while. Molly had taken the seat across from him and gently put her hand on his arm. "One day, Remus, you'll find her."

Remus nodded as he set his cup down. "How's Harry doing?" he asked.

Arthur and Molly both made faces. "Poor boy's only seven and those who watch over him say he's not getting the best of treatment from that woman," Molly said as she got angry.

"Husband's worse," Arthur stated.

"It's HIS aunt Arthur, blood relative!" Molly chided him. "She should be loving that boy like her own!"

Arthur patted her hand. "Albus has to know what's right for him," he said. "What with Sirius in Azkaban."

Remus's jaw tightened. Sirius Black, best friend to him, James and Peter. Only to find out the blood of James and Lily were on his head! Harry's godfather for Merlin's sake, just as he was to Willow! He sighed and looking put out with himself.

"Oh Remus," Molly said, they both probably knew what he was thinking. "You didn't fail him or Lily," she told him. "You'll find her, and one day little Willow and Harry will be back together." She patted his hand. "You'll see."

Remus let out a sigh. "I pray you're right, Molly," he replied.

There was the sound of children's laughter coming toward the house. "That'll be the twins, Ron and Ginny," Molly said. "Do stay and meet them."

Remus shook his head. "Too many questions." He stood and kissed her hand and nodded to Arthur. "Thank you my friends."

"Be careful," Arthur told him.

He nodded at that and headed for the fireplace. The children came in to see a tall man leave through the floo. "Who was that mum?" Fred asked.

"An old friend of your father and mine," Molly said standing and with her wand whisking away Remus's untouched plate. "Wash up for biscuits and milk." Molly and Arthur looked to each other as the children ran for the bathroom. Both of them looked worried.

 **To Be Continued…**


	3. Chapter 3

**December 21 1990**

Willow laughed so hard she couldn't breathe. Xander stood by the TV in the Harris's living room and did what he called 'the Snoopy Dance'. On screen was the little black and white beagle from the Peanuts show 'A Charlie Brown Christmas'.

Ten year old Xander skipped up and down dancing back and forth with glee as Willow had to hold her stomach. Willow had come over after Hanukah that evening to give Xander his present from her and he had shown her the contraband of Snoopy, Charlie Brown and a dead looking Christmas tree.

Xander collapsed to the floor next to her laughing too. "It's the best, isn't it?" he asked between breaths.

Willow nodded as she caught her breath. "Yeah, Lucy made me think of Cordy," she told him. He laughed at that, the class bully of the fourth grade, Cordelia Chase. Willow couldn't stand her, neither could Xander. That was why after Cordelia had pushed Willow down in the playground for the hundred million tenth time (Xander counted and he swears by that) that they were going to start the "We Hate Cordelia Chase Club".

Willow was President of course, Xander was up for the job of Vice President but he said it was too much responsibility and he didn't want to take notes as Secretary, but he didn't mind holding the money for Treasurer. Jesse wanted it too so they fought over it with a thumb war. Xander won and Jesse decided he wanted to be the Spy like James Bond which sounded better than Vice President. So they had President, Treasurer and Spy filled in. Willow put three dollars to the fund, Jesse put in a quarter and two nickels and Xander put in a nickel and four pennies. Willow was pretty sure the boys spent it all on Ding Dongs and comics on their way home from the first meeting.

"Lucy's nicer," Xander said lying down on the rug beside her to watch the rest of the show. He reached around through the empty food wrappers looking for something left. Willow always brought snacks which Xander was always happy to eat.

"Yeah," Willow agreed putting her head on Xander's shoulder as Xander found one more Twinkie. If there was one person in her life Willow could count on to love her, it would be Xander. "I like Linus," she told him.

Xander smiled. "You would be Linus, I would be the Peppermint guy, he's cool," he told her around a bite of yellow spongy goodness.

Willow didn't have the heart to tell him that the Peppermint guy was a girl. She looked outside to see it was dark. "Xan," she said quickly. "It's dark; my mom's going to ground me if I don't get home soon."

Xander looked to the window, it was pretty dark. "It's almost over then I'll walk you home," he told her pulling her back down to the rug. She looked worried. "You're gonna be in trouble anyway, just watch the rest."

"What if my dad comes to get me?" Willow asked. Xander didn't look worried. "Or my mom?"

Xander sat up at that. His mom really didn't like hers. His dad didn't like her more. "You think?" he asked. Willow shrugged, Xander laid back down again. "A few more minutes, kay?"

Willow debated it for a moment then lay back down too. "'Kay," she replied but she looked to the dark sky every other minute hoping her mom wasn't going to be angry with her.

 **oooooooooooo**

It was nine o'clock as Xander and Willow walked towards her home. Willow held his hand as they moved along at a good clip. Xander rolled his eyes as he kept up with his nervous redheaded buddy. Willow really didn't like to get into trouble with anyone.

"Maybe we can do something on Christmas," he got out.

Willow looked to him. "You could come see the computer my parents got me. It's neat! My dad got some programs on learning about actual programming!"

"Did you get any games?" he asked. He was a big fan of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade down at the mall.

"No, but I have a scientific program, you can learn about the periodic table and it has chemistry labs," Willow said happily.

Xander rolled his eyes. "Games are better," he told her.

Willow made a face at him as two figures appeared about sixty feet behind them from the darkness walking along the sidewalk. Neither child noticed it. The stalkers were both adults, with the ridged foreheads and yellow eyes, and they looked… hungry.

"How come there are no Christmas lights on this street?" Willow asked as the stalkers began to walk a little faster behind them; it was a very dark street.

Xander pointed to a house down the road. "The Tyler's are the only ones with lights out this year. But I think they're gone for a few days, so they aren't on." The Harris's didn't have any outside Christmas lights, and their Christmas tree was an old fake one from years ago.

Willow looked to the little glass bulbs on the railing and the eaves of the Tyler's house. It would look pretty lit up. She looked to Xander who was telling her about the time when he and Jesse played Ninja Turtles at the arcade for three hours one afternoon and Xander had won. Willow felt that sense build in her and as they walked by the house lit up, all the lights glowing.

"Oh wow!" Xander said looking to them with a smile. "I guess they're back."

The two watched the happy lights glow as the vampires looked to each other and to the little redhead who had magic pouring off of her now. They were strong but they were too young to have ever gone up against a mage, even one so young. Wisely they disappeared back into the night as Xander and Willow continued on toward her home unscathed.

 **oooooooooooo**

 **Privet Drive, England**

Harry sat in his cupboard underneath the stairs sad and alone. It had been the annual Dursley Christmas Party for neighbors, co-workers and friends to the Dursley's. And of course Harry wasn't invited. He hated Christmas. He never got anything but old hand me downs from what Dudley was too fat to wear anymore. The party was long over and it was the early morning hours but Harry couldn't sleep. He was too alone.

He looked to the small book he was reading about football with the torch he'd been given so they didn't have to give him an actual light for his 'room'. He wished he could go do things every other boys could. He turned the page when he felt something inside him burn. Like a light that was missing from his soul. It was there, a part of him he didn't know. It stayed for a while then it was gone.

He was still for the longest while wishing it would come back. When it didn't he shook his head, probably just his dream for his mum and dad to come and get him, to take him from this awful, horrible place.

 **March 4 1991**

Willow smiled to herself as she was walking home from school; she had her Hello Kitty backpack over her shoulders and a flowery yellow sundress on. Xander and Jesse had gone to Jesse's house to play his new Nintendo he got for Christmas which was what they usually did nowadays.

Not that Willow minded, they still played with her at school, but all they ever talked about was Nintendo this, Mario that. Willow was teaching herself how her computer worked and found she could hook her computer to a phone line and began to find that she could write to people around the world on it. She was talking to two grad students from M.I.T. and a programmer in Germany. That to her was fun.

The redhead went down towards Sunnydale Lake. It wasn't very big, but it was pretty. Not many people went there because it was more out of the way than going to one of the parks, or the mall, even one of the coffee houses as most adults did. Willow liked the lake; there were trees and not many people about.

There was also no Cordelia Chase and her little nasty group of friends like Harmony Kendall who was stupid and mean. At least Cordelia had sense enough not to say something stupid when she didn't know what she was talking about, she'd just insult you worse. Willow's smile faded a little as she thought about how she spent a good deal of time trying to avoid her, Harmony was in her class but Cordelia wasn't. They always seemed to find her at least once a day.

Willow walked down the small path through the trees and shrubs and just forgot about Dorkadelia as Jesse and Xander named her. She came to the lake and found her favorite spot by a nice oak tree. She sat down and pulled out an apple and a baggie of crackers and a book on Greek Mythology. She was into the story of Perseus and the Gorgon Medusa.

She found her place and took out a cracker and began to read. Willow had made it to where Perseus was cutting off the head of Medusa when she heard a POP which made her jump a little. She looked around and saw a man in – robes, Merlin type robes. He was across the lake and he was looking for something on the ground. He pulled a book out of his pack and hurriedly looked through it and hunted the ground some more.

Willow set her book down on her lap, her brow furrowed as she watched him curiously. He was an older man with graying brown hair and a bald patch on his head. He got on his knees and began to dig something up. He tucked it into a pack he had and looked for a few more bushes. He always kept looking over his shoulder, like something would be coming for him any minute. He was apparently done when he stood up and took out a stick from somewhere in the depths of his robes.

He waved the stick and with a POP he disappeared. Willow flinched when he did it scrambling around to the other side of the tree with her book tumbling to the ground from her lap and her crackers flying everywhere. She hid watching to see that the man truly was gone. She saw something fluttering about on the ground where he had been and it took her a few minutes to get her courage up and run quickly around the lake to see what it was as her curiosity got the better of her.

Willow slowed as she came near the area warily looking at everything from close up. He had dug up plants, some were reddish looking, but they didn't look any different than any other plants in the area, not that she could tell. She saw that there was a book on the ground. The one the man had been looking through. Slowly she crept her way there. She picked it up; it was old looking, bound in green leather. It said 'Standard Book of Spells Grade 1" by Miranda Goshawk.

She opened it to find it was printed but inside the margins were covered with notes. Things like 'Plants that grow only at the Mouth of Hell' or 'List of places that sell Hellebore'. Willow looked to the drawn pictures then to the plants near the ones he had dug up. They looked like them. Apparently they were for a potion.

Willow did something very bad that day in her ten year old life. She took the book home with her to the safety of her bedroom. And with privacy there she turned to the first page for find 'Accio – the summoning charm'.

Willow now had found another thing to develop her mind, a book of magic. She read through it that night, staying up and reading it under the covers with a flashlight so her parents wouldn't know. The stick the man had used was a wand. Did she need a wand to do these things? She had thought about talking to Xander about it but she wanted it to be her own for now.

 **July 31 1991**

Remus Lupin stood in a small alleyway watching as Hagrid, Gamekeeper at Hogwarts, took Harry into Gringotts to his vault James and Lily had left for him. He was so small, especially put against Hagrid's giant frame. Harry was eleven years old today. Remus smiled absently to see how much Harry looked like James. He remembered twenty years ago when he had been sorted into Gryffindor and made friends with James and the other Marauders.

Now Harry was on his way to Hogwarts and away from the Dursley's for the better part of a year. He sighed to himself. Ten years and he still hadn't found his missing goddaughter. He would, he vowed on the graves of his friends he would find her. And hopefully protect Harry in someway as well.

 **To Be Continued…**


	4. Chapter 4

**September 13 1992**

Willow had watched in dismay as all of her extended family, a few friends she had, the Rabbi and other members of her synagogue watched Xander's parents get smashing drunk at her Bat Mitzvah. Xander was partially mortified; more that others were witnessing it instead of it being at home.

It hadn't taken long after that with the celebration over she got the last kiss from her aunt as they left for home and she went up to her room. Willow enjoyed her religion; she just wasn't sure how much she believed in it. Magic was the worship of Satan in the eyes of the Jewish tradition. Willow never felt like she was worshipping Satan, because for a year she had had in her possession a spell book, a real spell book and she didn't feel evil. She had begun to study on plants more, most of the ones in the book that not even the encyclopedia knew of. If it didn't know, how was she supposed to?

And like any good little scientist Willow began to experiment behind her parents backs.

She found different sizes and kinds of sticks like the one the magic man had used and waved them around while saying some of the words from the book. Willow had stayed with that one word, Accio for weeks. Waving sticks around and nothing happened. Then she finally just threw all the sticks away completely frustrated.

She spent her time just reading the book then one day she looked across the room and held out her hand. "Accio!" she said looking to a book. It moved, she felt that shift in her and... well, it dropped off the countertop onto the floor which was something. Now she could call pencils, pens, pillows, even thin books to her from across the room and she was quite proud of herself. She was working on Alohamora and Windgardium Leviosa and she was asking on the internet about different plants, or finding her way into places to see what the world knew about them, as well as learning Latin which seemed to be the magic language.

"Willow!" her mother called out from down stairs. "Your father and I would like to talk with you."

Willow quickly dashed all thoughts of spells and that out of her mind as she went downstairs to find her father sitting at his desk in his study and her mother standing beside him. That was not good, sitting in the study meant it was a serious talk. She came in and they both smiled at her a little. They looked nervous. Why should they look nervous?

Willow fidgeted as she took the seat across from the desk. She was twelve, in the eyes of the Jewish ways she was an adult ready to take on adult things. Not too adult she hoped. Her father had a black jewelry box resting on his desk.

"I'm not getting married am I?" she asked them.

"What?" her mother asked, both of them looking surprised at this statement.

"I just- I am an adult like the rabbi said," Willow said softly. "I don't think I'm ready to get married though." She looked up at her parents. "I haven't even met a boy yet, except Xander and he doesn't think that way, he likes Nintendo too much."

Her father smiled as her mother frowned. "You aren't getting married, Willow," her mother said. "You're ready for adult responsibilities, not being an adult."

Willow blinked at this. That sounded much better.

"As for that," her father told her. "You need to take on some responsibilities." Willow nodded at this she was good at responsibilities. Her father opened the jewelry box and set it out for her. "This was with you the day social services found you," he told her.

Willow took the box and looked inside to see a pendant there with a willow tree engraved in it and the name Willow above it. She looked to them not understanding. "Found?"

Her mother nodded. "Your father and I decided that you were capable of handling this now, Willow. You are twelve." She sighed. "Your father and I never could have children. We decided that maybe it was time to look into adoption." Willow started to feel sick. "We heard about a little girl who had been found in a woman's backyard and went to see you."

Willow felt really ill. "I'm adopted?" she asked.

They both nodded to her. "I know this comes as a shock, Willow," her father said. It did, Willow leaned over and threw up on her father's expensive rug, and then she ran out of the house flinging the front door open with tears running down her cheeks.

"Willow Rosenberg!" her mother called out from the front door. "You come back this instant!"

She didn't, she ran until she got a stitch in her side. She stumbled to the ground as she wiped her tears away hiding behind a fence. They were lying! She thought to herself as she cried herself out. "They're lying," she said through her tears. Why would they do such a thing? On her Bat Mitzvah no less?

Willow looked to the box and she opened it and looked to the pendant again. Taking it out she saw that the etching was beautiful, it almost seemed like it moved. She looked to the back, there was nothing on it. She let out a slight sob as she leaned against the fence she had hidden behind. If she wasn't a Rosenberg then what was she? Shaking her head she felt sadness and anger well up in her. "Reducto!" she yelled a new word she had learned in her spell book as she pointed to a tree in a neighbor's yard. The thing shriveled up and turned to ash.

Willow looked revolted but felt mollified in a way as she looked to her finger then carefully tucked it back in.

She wasn't a Rosenberg, she was a magic person.

And with that she had a problem; she didn't know any other magic people.

 **oooooooooooo**

Harry had been crossing the lawns from Herbology with the other second years back to the castle to see Ginny Weasley walking towards the lake with a blonde girl her age.

"Who's that with Ginny?" Harry asked.

Ron shrugged. "Don't know."

"McClay," Seamus offered up. "Tara McClay, she's from Ireland, or her ma is. Kathleen McClay. Dad was a squib from America, her mum didn't know, left him, so me mum says. Came back to Ireland with Tara, obliviated their existence from her dad's mind and all."

"How awful!" Hermione said.

"Nah, mean bastard," Seamus replied, he shrugged when Hermione looked appalled at his language. "He is. The Ministry over there was going to put him in Karavak for using potions on her so she'd forget she was a witch at all, same with Tara." He hitched his books up delighted to tell the story. "Came back this year, hear she's got her mum's gift."

Ron gave him a look. "As a Witch? That's hardly a stretch, mate."

"Nah," Seamus said grinning. "Gift of sight, auras, future telling, the McClay's are known all through Europe for it." He tapped his forehead. "Knows what's going on in your noggin just lookin' at ya. Her granddad made them take her maiden name back. Doesn't want them to have anything to do with the squib so he's gone from their line altogether. Her mum's beautiful. Has all the wizard's over there wantin' to date her."

"I don't remember seeing her in the common room," Harry said as they went up the steps into the castle.

"She wasn't," Hermione replied. "She was sorted into Hufflepuff."

"Fits," Seamus said. "So was her mum."

"How did she and Ginny get to be friends then?" Ron asked surprised he didn't know everything that his younger sibling was up to.

"It's only the first few weeks of school Ron," Hermione told him. "She's not Slytherin." Ron gave her that.

 **September 1 1993**

Remus got on board the Hogwarts Express long before any of the children came along. He was exhausted; his change last time had been a bad one. On top of that Willow was still lost to him. He had tried to refuse Albus's request that he teach the Defense Against the Dark Arts class. He hadn't wanted to; Snape would have taken the offer easily. Albus said he wanted him to. Remus could see why, what with him being a werewolf and all. That would go over well with the parents. He had told him that teaching wasn't his focus. Finding Willow was. Albus countered with 'Harry needs your help more at the moment and you know where he is'.

Damn him. Remus set his briefcase down and settled into a seat by the window and looked out to the train station for the moment. He was right the fool. Harry did need his help; so far they had Quirrell who had been harboring the essence of Voldemort and Lockhart who didn't know his arse from a chizpurfle. Not that they were much different. He smiled at that. Then he sobered up. Sirius was free, he had escaped Azkaban. This could not happen. Harry safety was at stake and so was Willow's.

He settled down to sleep as children began to get on board. The door was opened a few times then hurriedly closed. He acted as though he was asleep. None of the children wanted to sit with an adult there. Finally some did, so the others must be full. They wondered who he was. The girl mentioned his name and the boys were surprised, so was he then she said she read it on his case. Smart girl.

Then there was the mention of Sirius and the boy called him Harry. Remus couldn't help it. He opened his eyes just a touch and there he was. James, young and glorious again, his long lost friend. Remus closed his eyes and fought not to listen to their conversation. How he missed his friends. How he longed for his childhood before everything became so damn hard. He caught the scent of Harry, now ingrained he would protect him as much as he could here.

There was more talking, a boy came to the door and the scent of anger and hatred came through the children. Malfoy, Lucius's whelp, apparently just as horrid as his sire. Of course he wouldn't start anything with him there and the boy left.

One boy mentioned about nearly being there. They couldn't of; Remus had excellent sense of time. The train began to slow and Remus felt it, something bad coming. The children were nervous now. The lights were out and they were stumbling over each other. Remus couldn't focus on that, it was the things coming that worried him. Their chaotic whispering was worse. "Quiet," he finally spoke up and the children became quiet. Remus cast a silent spell filling his hand with light. "Stay where you are," he told them as he got to his feet. The children all sat down.

Deathly quiet, a stillness as he reached for the door, it slid open before he could reach it and there it was. A spectre's figure, the bane of all wizards who dare to cast in with the wrong side and be damned to Azkaban for doing so, Dementors.

Remus heard Harry make a noise as the Dementor didn't move. "None of us are hiding Sirius Black under our cloaks, go," he told him, the Dementor reached towards the boy, then there was a thud to the ground. "Expecto Patronum," he muttered and a silver wolf came out of his wand and the Dementors left.

Remus turned back to see all of the children looking his way in awe. Harry was out cold on the floor. He sighed as he lifted Harry up to the seat. It was going to be a long year.

 **December 1993**

It was snowing; Willow decided she didn't like snow. Huddled in her new overcoat she followed her mother and Aunt Nina into a large store in New York City. The Rosenberg's had come to celebrate Hanukah with her mother's family.

Willow was quieter than before. More shy, now that she knew the truth. Xander couldn't understand why, and she didn't want to tell him. She was adopted, someone out there, someone didn't want her, and they dumped her in the trash and left her. She could feel the leather cord at her neck, the one holding the pendant. She didn't know why she wore it, but it was all she had to whatever life she was supposed to have. At first when she came home from running out of the house she tried to make sense of it all. Her parents of course tried to be rational and sit down and talk about it. What was there to talk about? And how did you tell your parents about it?

And then there was the whole being a magical person. After she zapped that tree over a year ago she'd been afraid of what she could do with it if she got mad enough. Not that she wanted to get mad, but how do you stop something like getting mad?

Willow buried her nose into the collar of her coat as she followed along; her mother had stopped to look into the perfume section. She sighed again. She hadn't stopped studying the book, but she invested a lot of time in her studying other things and her computer. The only thing she had found out about her before the Rosenberg's was the short piece on her in the newspaper and she was told about the news cast done that evening. Other than that, nothing, no one had been searching for a one year old redhead, no one.

"Willow?" her mother said. "Willow?"

Willow looked up to her and gave her a smile. She loved her mom, she just didn't understand her. "Yes, mom?"

"We're going to lunch then back to your aunt's. Okay?" she asked.

Willow nodded, she was hungry. They went outside and headed off down the street. The snow was picking up again and the crowds on the streets of New York were in a hurry. Willow followed the back of her mom as she shivered never wanting to come to a cold climate again. Glancing across the street Willow stopped in surprise. Between a fashion boutique and a new and used bookstore there was another place. Not that it was odd, but it looked old, older than her parents old. The brick was stone and it looked like something from the revolutionary war era. The doorway and windows were made out of the stones that arched up holding shuttered windows and a thick wood door. No one even noticed it was there. A few people that came out looked okay, but soon they were lost in the crowds

"Mom?" Willow said and looked to see that her mother was not in front of her anymore. The crowds had swept them away. Willow went still with fear; she was lost in New York. "Mom?" she called out. She ran along looking for her mom's beige coat. She now realized there were lots of beige coats. She crossed the street seeing a group of women over there. Tears welled in her eyes, it wasn't any of them. She looked down the walkway to see an old time blackened wood sign sticking out from up high where the weird door was. It said 'The Black Manticore' on it in glowing letters.

Willow carefully went down the street towards it. She had lost her mother, and she would figure her way back to her aunt's, but for now she needed to know what this was. Her sense of wanting to know outweighed her fear of being lost. She looked at it and looked to the people around her.

One man slowed. "Are you lost?" he asked.

Willow shook her head, she didn't know why, she should have nodded but she didn't. "Have you been here?" she asked pointing to the door.

The man looked to it then to her. "That's just a wall," he said a little worried. "Maybe you should get home."

Willow nodded as she watched him go. Willow took in a few breaths then stepped forward and touched the door. It opened and she looked in. "Hey! Shut the door girl!" a woman said.

Willow stepped in and shut it. She blinked a few times adjusting to the dimness of the place. It looked just as old in as it did out. The tables were a mix of wood and black metal and the smell about was of alcohol, smoke, and food.

"Where's your mom or dad at youngling?" a man asked from a nearby table.

Willow looked his way to see he was in robes, robes like the one the man at Sunnydale Lake was wearing. He had gray hair and a big moustache and a pipe between his teeth.

"She's probably off from the Academy for vacation, Talbot, leave the girl alone," the woman said. Willow put a face to her voice when she came in. She was old, around her mom's age with black hair and olive skin.

"No reason to be on the streets alone, less your mom is here," Talbot said. "Down in Kalispell Square I'll guess."

Willow looked his way confused. "Where?" she asked.

Talbot rolled his eyes as other patrons went to their meals and drinks again. The place was crowded. "'Where' she says, you from out of town?" he asked.

Willow nodded as a man came from out of the depths of the place towards the door. Willow moved out of his way and she looked out when he opened the door to see it was still New York City outside. "California," she replied.

"Ah, well," a woman said from another table. "You're a student at Crystalsea then, visiting relatives out here." She said that mostly to Talbot.

Willow nodded at this, sure, why not? "Crystalsea," Talbot said with a snort. "Headmaster there doesn't keep those children in line, not like Ilvermorny or Hogwarts."

"It's new, more progressive out there," a younger man said.

"Two pregnancies are what the Sentinel said," Talbot replied. "You best watch yourself there, youngling," he said to Willow. "You're getting on to the age of finding a boyfriend. Don't let them fool you, wanting to get into your pa-,"

"Talbot!" the barkeep woman said. "I'm sure her parents have warned her about boys."

Actually, they hadn't, other than to never touch them, she did get a book and a lecture on childbearing which made her nauseous wondering how something that large came from down there. That had gotten her into reading medical textbooks and playing doctor with Xander and Jesse, they acted like G.I. Joe heroes coming home from battle with Cobra.

Willow didn't care to listen to anymore of that as she headed on in. "Down the left corridor sweetie," the barkeep said. "Straight through will take you on to the back exit to an alleyway don't go out that way, to dark for you. Okay?"

"Thanks," Willow said with a little wave. She went left.

She saw there were tables and fireplaces around. There was talk and eating and reading papers and books. Mostly it was talking. She stopped as she looked to a newspaper, tilting her head to see it better. Did that picture just move?

"Red," a drunken English voice slurred out. "Merlin, you have her hair."

Willow looked the other way to see a very thin man with sandy brown hair that hung down in his eyes looking up at her from where he had been resting on the table, a half empty ale mug beside him. "Willow?" he said.

Willow's eyes went wide in shock as she backed up at this and the man blinked a few times seeing she recognized the name and looked at her closer. How did he know her name? He seemed to sniff the air. "Willow, Lily's Willow," he got out and stood up too quickly as the table slid forward like it was nothing, the man was stronger than he looked. "My Willow."

Willow backed up again as the man came forward. She ran through the tables away from the 'door on the left' and headed for the front door. The man ran after her blocking her path so she ran for the back door.

"Hey!" more than one person shouted. "What's going on? What's he doing?" More people got involved as one even tackled her chaser. Willow screamed as they went into a pile of tables and people right next to her and she dodged through the tables faster. 

"Come here girl, it's okay!" a few said standing up and motioning her in their direction, wands were coming out and Willow was getting really scared.

The man roared and a lot of people stilled at the inhumanness of it. "Impedimenta!" the man said as he pulled people off him and raised his wand to Willow.

"Expelliarmus!" someone cast back and the two spells caught each other.

Willow ran for the doorway as adults tried to catch her. "She's mine!" the man roared. "That girl is mine!"

Willow tripped out of the doorway into the alley she landed hard on her knees and hands wincing at the pain she felt in them but she scrambled up and ran as fast as she could, no spell could come to mind to defend herself with she was so scared, and they knew spells, spells from the book, she saw them being cast from wands. The back door opened and the man crashed out making her jump and sprint as fast as she could go. Four men jump him and dragged him back inside as two took off after her.

Willow made it to the street and ran for the nearest normal looking store so they could call her mother. She hid around a corner and watched as the two men looked for her but their wands were in pockets and they looked like normal men, after a while they were gone from her sight and she hurried away.

 **oooooooooooo**

Back at the Black Manticore Remus was held to the wall by a hex. He was breathing hard and trying not to struggle against it. The barkeep was there along with an auror. "What's the meaning of this?" the auror asked.

"You have to let me go!" Remus said. "That was my goddaughter!"

"You scared her to death!" a woman in the crowd called out.

"He's drunk, I don't think he knows what he's talking about," another woman by her said.

"Her parents are dead!" Remus told them. "I've been searching for her for twelve bloody years!"

That changed some attitudes. Being a godparent was very serious in the wizarding world. "Will a spell hold to that?" the auror asked.

Remus nodded. "Hurry please," he said. "I must find her."

"Who are her parents?" the auror asked. Remus went silent and it all went downhill after that. He spent four days in Salem's lockdown cells, two of them because they learned he was a Werewolf. When he returned to New York he lost her scent, but he knew it and he knew her face. She was Lily's alright. Now he had hope again as he apparated back to Britain.

 **June 1994**

Remus looked to Harry as they walked with Dumbledore down to where a carriage was waiting for him. Remus had just resigned after Snape had informed his whole house that he was a werewolf. He believed the year to be wasted when he first came, but it had not. Three incredible things had happened. One, he had Willow's scent and had seen the young girl even for a brief moment, to see she was Lily's child. Two, he had helped in teaching Willow's brother so that one day he would be able to protect himself and her and defend the wizarding world against Voldemort, and three, that one of his dearest friends was truly that, an honorable man horribly accused for a crime he didn't commit. It had been the friend he thought he had lost to Sirius long ago, Peter Pettigrew.

"Good-bye then Harry," he said to the young man. "It's been a pleasure teaching you and I'm sure we'll meet again sometime." Albus gave him a look over his half moon glasses.

Remus stepped into the carriage and waved to the two as it headed for the train station. "There's nothing to hold me back now, Harry," he murmured to the boy knowing he couldn't hear him. "I know her scent, I know she is in the States, and I know her face. Now, it is only a matter of time."

 **To Be Continued…**


	5. Chapter 5

**September 1994**

School had started once again at Hogwarts, the feast in the Great Hall come and gone and new classes were starting this week. On their second day in, the Great Hall was full of whispering and talk. Harry and Hermione looked to each other as they sat down at the Gryffindor table by Neville and Dean Thomas.

"What's going on?" Harry asked.

Dean smiled. "Here tell Ginny talked Tara McClay, you know from Hufflepuff, into going to divination class with her this morning."

Hermione looked up from her plate at that. "Tara's quite good at it," she told them having been included in on Ginny's friendship with Tara.

"More so than Trelawney could ever be," Harry muttered. Trelawney was a nut.

Ginny came in with Tara and everyone looked their way. Tara's blue eyes hid behind a curtain of her dark blond hair and Ginny dragged her into the hall to the Hufflepuff table before she could try and leave.

Ginny said something to her then plopped herself down at the Gryffindor table and began to fill her plate with food. Harry and the others looked her way and she grinned. "It was wonderful!" she said quietly.

"What really happened?" Dean asked. "We've been hearing rumors about it."

Ginny giggled into her hand as Tara looked back at her for a moment; there was a ghost of a smile on the blond girl's face. "The Professor, she didn't know who Tara was, just visiting to see if she wanted to take her class next term."

"Why didn't she take it before now?" Dean asked. "She could have started second year."

Ginny couldn't help the peal of laughter that rang out then she covered her mouth again. "We-we watched as she talked about crystal balls and tea leaves and what we would be learning that year," Ginny said catching her breath. "Then she wanted us to do some astrology." She shook her head biting her lip so she didn't laugh. "Tara looked at her for a while then just sat there. T-the Professor came over and asked her why she wasn't doing anything. Tara said that astrology was for show, so were crystal balls."

Hermione began to laugh and Harry looked back at the Hufflepuff girl who was being coaxed into talking from her own House. "I bet Trelawney didn't like that," Harry said.

Ginny shook her head as she took a drink of pumpkin juice. "She started off on how Tara was just the student and she hadn't learned anything yet to make assumptions like that." She smiled as she looked to her friends. "Trelawney asked who her teacher was and Tara told her, her mother. Trelawney said her mother didn't know anything."

Even Neville winced at that. Since Tara had come and Kathleen McClay had returned home the British Wizarding world had learned just how powerful a diviner she was. Apparently Professor Trelawney hadn't kept up with that.

"That's not the best part!" Ginny said leaning over the table. "Trelawney and Tara's mum went here together! They're cousins going back a few generations! Then she told her that her aura was very grey and the Professor left the classroom!"

Harry was laughing by then. Hermione looked horrified but the others were laughing too. "I didn't know you were taking Divination this year," Hermione said.

"I'm not!" Ginny told her with a big smile. "I just wanted to see what would happen."

 **oooooooooooo**

 **January 1995**

The hallways of Sunnydale High were crowded as Willow quietly walked among them. Fourteen years old and half way through her freshman year, Christmas vacation was over and the first week of the new term was almost over as well since it was Friday. News was going around that there was going to be a new student coming to Sunnydale. That should be interesting. Willow turned the corner then moved over to the side lowering her head down a little as she saw the Queen of Mean and her harpies headed down the hallway.

"Willow, Willow, Willow," Cordelia said condescendingly looking Willow's clothing over, overalls and a long-sleeved light, yet colorful sweater. "I thought the first grade was in this year," she finished with sarcasm dripping from her voice. Cordelia herself was in a stunning outfit of shimmering blue pants that accentuated her hips, butt, and flat stomach and an ivory shirt that revealed her very growing cleavage for one so young. "Oh, I'm sorry," Cordelia said moving in a little too close cornering her victim as Willow was forced to back up against the wall so she didn't have to touch her, "it's not," Cordelia bit off into her ear. "Why don't you grow up and get some style."

The group of girls laughed at Willow's expense and headed off down the hallway. Willow took it in stride; she had been use to Cordelia's barbs for the majority of her life. They had left their mark; however, Willow never showed any part of her body off, why should she? She was thin and didn't have any bumps or curves. Everyone used 'pixish' or 'elfin' in her features. Who wanted to look at a half naked elfin creature with no boobs?

Willow had looked to the girls as they changed or showered in gym class. They all seemed to be growing up and out in places, she didn't seem to be. She blushed as girls walked past her with just towels on. What was up with that? Why was she shy about seeing other girls in towels? She had seen Jesse and Xander in towels for most of her life, that didn't bug her.

Willow let the memory go as she continued on down the hallway to her destination wishing she had the courage to use some of the spells she had in her book on the dark headed girl. She made it to her safe house where no one went, the Library. She smiled at this as she went through the double doors. It was a beautiful place with wood counters, tables and staircases and shelves of books and the new librarian was nice.

He was at the main table with another box of books, tall with graying hair and glasses and tweed. He was very British. Or at least what she thought British was anyway, newscasts of the royal family, the Beatles, and Doctor Who were all she had to go on.

"Hi Mr. Giles," Willow said as she came up to him.

He turned around really fast standing in front of the books he had taken out guarding them and looked confused. "Oh, hello there, um, Miss Rosenberg is it?" he asked with that accent, very British.

"Can I help?" she asked.

"Help?" he countered.

She nodded to the books about. "Help put books away."

"Oh! No. No thank you," he told her and she look sad. "I do have a nice collection over in the shelves you might be interested in looking at," he told her wanting to make the only student to even come into the library feel somewhat welcome.

She nodded and headed up the stairs to where he pointed. She saw that the books he had out of the box were really old. "Thanks," she told him.

It was a half an hour later when she sat down in a chair with a history book that never would have been found in a high school library let alone Sunnydale's caliber. Mr. Giles came by and saw what she was reading. "That's a nice one you have there," he said as he sat down by her and shifted his glasses up higher on his nose. "You truly are interested in history?"

Willow smiled and nodded. "And Math and Science, pretty much everything."

He nodded again. "It's getting on to the lunch hour. Do you have a class?"

This last hour had been a free period. Her mother didn't want her out of her own age group but the teacher passed her on knowing Calculus and next year when she was a sophomore she could start college calculus but UC Sunnydale didn't let students under sixteen start college courses at their high school without a parent or advisor to supervise, and her parents really were gone a lot. So the teacher gave her the period to be free, which made her a little bored, until Mr. Giles and his new books came to Sunnydale.

Willow nodded. "I have lunch and- and then I have science."

Mr. Giles smiled at the shy girl. "How would you like a cup of English tea?"

Willow smiled back as he went to his office.

 **oooooooooooo**

It was the next Monday and Willow found herself in the courtyard of the High School alone, waiting for Xander and Jesse to come for lunch. Today hadn't been a good day; her parents had come home for the weekend only to mention that they had another conference in Japan and had to go to L.A. for a meeting first. And Xander had asked her for help with his Math which of course she'd do. But then he and Jesse talked about seeing the 'new girl' and of course they both lusted after her.

Willow was fed up, three years and Xander always just saw her as one of the guys. And to kick the whole 'Willow's miserable day' into high gear Cordelia had come with the new girl, Buffy. And of course Willow got the 'softer side of Sears' joke once again all for the sake of the new girl to enjoy. Buffy didn't look that pleased at Cordelia's joke which was nice in a way. But Buffy was into style, her clothes, her hair, her makeup it was all on Cordelia's level, which wasn't her level, which meant she was back to the realm of high testosterone and bad jokes by Xander and Jesse.

"Uh, hi, Willow right?" a girl said.

Willow looked up from her sandwich to see Buffy standing there in knee high boots, a tight mini skirt, form fitting blouse and fabulous hair standing there looking at her. "Why? I mean hi," she got out.

Buffy's smile was friendly and she moved to sit down by her making Willow's eyes go wide. "Why don't we start with, 'Hi, I'm Buffy,' and, uh, then let's segue directly into me asking you for a favor. It doesn't involve moving, but it does involve hanging out with me for a while," the blond told her as she took out her own sack lunch.

Willow looked really confused. "But aren't you hanging out with Cordelia?"

"I can't do both?" Buffy asked with a smile.

Willow smiled back feeling more comfortable now; apparently Buffy was turning out to be nice. "Not legally," Willow told her honestly.

Buffy let out a sigh and looked to her. "Look, I really wanna get by here, new school, and- Cordelia's been really nice," she stopped looking to Willow who Cordelia was anything but nice to, "to me... anyway, but, um, I kinda have this burning desire not to flunk all my classes, and I heard a rumor that you were the person to talk to if I wanted to get caught up," Buffy finished.

Willow grinned at this. "I could help you. I have sixth period free, if you do, we could meet in the library."

Buffy looked unhappy at that. "Or not, we could meet someplace quieter," Buffy said. Willow gave her confused look. "Louder," Buffy amended. "That place kinda gives me the wiggins."

Willow nodded at this. "Most kids don't like it. I love it though; the new librarian is really cool."

"He's new?" Buffy said dryly.

Willow nodded. "He just started last week. He was a curator at some British museum, or- or THE British Museum, I'm not sure. He brought all these historical volumes and biographies -," she started only to see Buffy was getting the glassy eyed look and she felt stupid. "Am I the single dullest person alive?" she asked.

Buffy smiled her way. "Not at all," she said sincerely.

Willow and Buffy looked up as Xander hopped over the concrete wall to sit on top of it between the two of them. Buffy looked surprised to see him and Jesse show up and Willow introduced them. Xander of course stepped in and sat between them totally interested in Buffy and Willow sighed. What was the point? He was never going to care. She looked to Buffy sitting there like she just belonged, legs crossed, in clothes that were for grownups. Willow looked to her dress and sweater. Her mother had picked them out; Sheila told her she wasn't going to be a slut like the other girls. Good Jewish girls didn't need to show off their bodies, she was too young anyway, but apparently old enough to be on her own. Willow sighed; she wished she had Buffy's style. Something to wear that radiated beauty and an attitude that showed she was confident with her body. Willow cringed; she didn't think she could wear what Buffy was wearing.

"Are these guys bothering you?" Cordelia asked and Willow came out of her thoughts.

"Uh, no," Buffy said.

"She wasn't hanging out with us," Willow told her so that at least Buffy might still be part of the in crowd. Buffy gave her a look of disapproval.

Willow watched the two girls banter and she realized that Buffy was on Cordelia's level all the way, but Buffy actually cared about outcasts, that was new and rather nice. Then she watched as Jesse came on to Cordelia AGAIN, the boy never gave up. She heard Cordelia mention gym was canceled because of some dead guy found in a locker. Buffy perked up at that which was odd and left soon after. Cordelia removed Jesse's hand from her shoulder in disgust and she was gone as well.

"She's hot," Xander said as he sat down again looking at Willow while Jesse sat down across from them.

"Cordelia's always been hot," Jesse told him.

"Not her," Xander said as he pulled out a juice box and a half empty bag of cheetos from a big sack. "Buffy, she's hot." He smiled Willow's way and held out the bag of cheetos to her and she took a couple. "What were you guys talking about?"

"I'm going to tutor her," Willow said as she ate one of the cheesy orange snacks.

Xander and Jesse looked to each other. "Maybe you could do that as well," Xander said wiggling his eyebrows her way. "Teach us when you teach Buffy."

Willow sighed looking seriously at him. "I tried, you're hopeless."

"That would be a no," Jesse said as he took a big bite out of his sandwich.

"No?" Xander asked Willow.

Willow shook her head. "No."

Xander looked horrified as he clutched his heart dramatically. "Will said no, Jess," he told their friend. "She doesn't love me anymore," he cried out as he rolled onto the ground pretending he was dying. "For the love of god, why Willow why?" he said.

Willow rolled her eyes but smiled at his antics while Jesse poured water onto him from his bottle and Xander tried to kick him. Willow looked to where Buffy had gone to, she had to admit he was right, Buffy was hot. A hotness she could never hope to become.

 **oooooooooooo**

Willow looked around to the loud music and people moving around her at The Bronze. She didn't mind going out so long as at least Xander was with her. He always made her feel like she had a reason to come. Jesse came to watch Cordelia. Willow sighed as she looked down at her brown corduroy pants and the light green shirt she had on trying to look less like her mom dressed her and more like a teenager.

She sat down at the counter and ordered a diet soda and pulled a packet of raisins from her pocket. Her parents were gone again and she felt alone in the house and Xander's plea along with Jesse's for her to come to the Bronze finally won through. But she was the only one here, she sighed as she dug a raisin out of the little red box.

"Hey!" a happy voice said.

Willow looked to see Buffy come her way dressed in a light blue jacket and black pants. She looked pretty, and Willow felt years behind again. "Oh, hi!" she said with a smile. Buffy walked around and sat on the stool next to her.

"Are you here with someone?" Buffy asked.

Willow shook her head. "I thought Xander and Jesse were going to show up."

"Oh, do you go out with either one of them?" Buffy asked as she ordered a drink.

Willow smiled and shook her head. "No, we're just friends, whole big group of friends. I-I-I don't date a whole lot, lately – actually," she said softly hoping it would disappear into the noise around them.

"Why not?" Buffy asked as she ate a cherry from the stick in her drink.

Willow looked at her in surprise. Like she didn't know? But she looked sincere. "It's hard for me to say anything cool, or- or witty," she stuttered a little. "Or at all," she told her seriously and Buffy smiled at that as she took a sip of her drink.

"It's not that bad," Buffy replied.

Willow shook her head. "No, it is. I think boys want girls who can talk."

Buffy grinned at that. "You really haven't been dating lately."

Or at all, Willow reminded her silently. Willow had never really been on a date. Guys just didn't seem to be interested. "It's probably easy for you," she told her.

Buffy made a face at that. "Yeah, real easy," she muttered.

"You don't seem shy," Willow clarified for her.

Buffy nodded a little at that and smiled. "Well, my philosophy… do you want to hear my philosophy?" she asked. Willow nodded curiously. "Life is short!" Willow looked intrigued. "Not original I grant you," she told her new friend. "But it's true. Why waste time being worried about some guy and if he's gonna laugh at you. Seize the moment," she said as she finished her drink. "'Cause tomorrow, you might be dead." Willow looked thoughtful about this as Buffy looked away then stood up. "I'll be back in a minute," she told Willow.

Willow shook her head. "That's okay; you don't have to come back."

Buffy gave her a look of friendly concern at her confidence and she put a hand on Willow's shoulder. "I'll be back in a minute," stating it firmly that she would be back, she wasn't abandoning her for someone else that apparently was a normal thought for her.

Buffy left and Willow turned and looked out to the crowd. "Seize the moment," she told herself. Why not? Xander didn't care and she needed to stop thinking about Cordelia's perfume and girls in towels because that was just crazy stuff.

She got off her stool and took her drink and headed out into the crowd. She stood around watching the band for a while when a cute guy came up to her. He smiled her way and she smiled back. "Hey, I'm Thomas," he told her over the noise.

"Willow," she replied as she looked to him, there was something about him that seemed off. She wasn't sure what but who knew? She didn't really know anything about guys other than Xander and Jesse.

He smiled. "Willow, I like it," he told her.

She nodded feeling a little awkward as she took a sip of her drink. "Are you in an upper grade at the high school?" she asked.

Thomas nodded at that. "Sure, I'm a senior," he said. "Hey, maybe we could get out of here and talk."

Willow smiled at this. She didn't need no stinkin' Xander! Her first shot out and she snagged a guy. She nodded. "Let's go."

He took her hand and led her out of the Bronze. They walked on in silence for a moment. "There's an ice cream place over on Wilkins," she told him and he nodded at that.

There was more silence and she stopped when he turned a corner that led into one of the cemeteries. Thomas stopped and looked her way. "Come on," he told her.

"The ice cream parlor's this way," Willow said feeling uncomfortable.

He smiled and took her hand. "I know a short cut," he replied and led her on in.

Willow hated the cemetery. All of them and Sunnydale had a lot. They went further in and finally she pulled him to stop. "This is far enough," she told him. "I want to go home."

"You can't, not yet," Thomas said. "Let's check out the mausoleum." He motioned to the one they were next to.

Willow shook her head and backed up a little. "I think I want to go home."

He grabbed her arm and flung her forward through the door and she slipped down the steps but righted herself on the crypt in there. "That wasn't funny!" she told him. Her knee still ached from her bad landing two years ago.

"It wasn't meant to be," he told her darkly and Willow backed up now to the other side of the mausoleum. This was bad; this was very, very bad. Willow racked her brain for a good spell to use against him to get out of here. Another girl came in, it was a pretty blond woman in a catholic uniform; it made her look like a stripper.

"This is the best you could do?" the blond woman asked him. That was making this very terrible. "She's skinny, not a lot of blood in her."

"I did better than you," Thomas told her.

"I brought someone," the blond said and the door opened. Jesse stumbled in holding his neck.

"Hey that was one hell of a hickey you gave me," Jesse said.

The blond grabbed the front of his sweater and threw him at Willow who caught him as he went down. "You fed?" Thomas asked.

The blond shrugged. "I was hungry."

Willow was really scared, but more than that, she was mad. She was about to cast a spell when someone spoke up. "Well, what's going on here?" It was Buffy. This just made things worse!

Buffy came in to the mausoleum. "Buffy get out!" Willow told her.

Buffy smiled her way but didn't take her eyes off the two that had thrown them in here. "No need Will," Buffy said. "Just wanted to say hi."

The blond was smiling. "You really shouldn't have come, at least not alone."

Buffy shrugged. "Who says I did?" she asked.

Xander came in at that looking winded from running. Willow shook her head at that. They were so screwed; a geek, a model, and two jokers walk into a mausoleum full of crazy people...

Buffy looked around. "Well, this was fun, love the decorations, let's do it again sometime. Xander? You want to help Willow and Jesse out?"

"Not so fast," the blond said as Xander went around Buffy towards them.

"What's with the outfits, by the way?" Buffy asked. "We have Debarge and Mary Catherine of the hookers club, could you be anymore noticeable?"

The blond woman tried to hit Buffy but she ducked and struck back knocking the woman over the crypt. It looked like it hurt. "Come on," Xander said as he got a hold of Jesse's arm.

"What about Buffy?" Willow asked.

"She'll be okay," Xander told her as they got Jesse out. He wasn't looking so good.

"We can't leave her there," Willow told him as he stopped dragging the two to a halt. "Xander?" He looked around and she looked with him. There were people everywhere and their faces looked hideous. "Oh no," she got out.

Xander let Jesse go. "Keep moving," he told them as he put up his fists for a fight.

Willow watched him. Xander didn't know how to fight, unless it was with his dad- okay, she'd keep moving. She stumbled as two of them caught up with her. Jesse was lost from her grasp and she struggled with the one on her. "Furnus!" she said holding his arm. Magic went from her into him. The thing screamed as he seemed to light on fire from the inside out. He ran around trying to find a way to put it out. Willow got up and ran looking for Jesse and Xander.

Willow cried out as she was tackled from behind and her head hit into the ground. She was flipped over and this thing with fangs held her down and lowered his face to her neck. Willow cried out but then the thing was gone, it flew off her with a grunt. She looked up to see Buffy standing there then the blond was off and running.

Willow got up and followed her. There were two of the weird human things dragging Xander along, he was unconscious. Willow watched in awe as Buffy kicked the crap out of one and the other ran off. What was going on?

Xander woke up as Willow and Buffy got to him. "Where's Jesse?" Buffy asked looking around.

Willow shook her head. None of them knew.

 **oooooooooooo**

Buffy sat Willow down in a chair in the library. Willow blinked a few times as Giles spoke; she didn't catch any of it. "What?" Willow said. "There are what?"

"Vampires, things not of this world, demons that hunt the night," Mr. Giles said as he polished his glasses.

"We gotta find Jesse," Xander said.

"Vampires?" Willow got out feeling faint. "Real vampires. Blood sucking vampires."

"Breathe, Will," Buffy said putting a hand on her arm while holding an ice pack on her arm.

"Breathe," Willow repeated taking a deep breath and shook her head as she reached for her pendant through her shirt and held it, feeling the comfort there.

She didn't listen as she tried to encompass it into her mind. She knew a lot of stuff; she even knew weird stuff she didn't think anyone could handle, like her being a spell caster. Now, she had just learned that vampires were real, demons were real, and that Buffy was one girl called one at a time to be the Chosen One, The Vampire Slayer. If she hadn't of come when she did, Willow wondered if her magic abilities would have been enough to save her. She wondered if she'd be dead, or worse, wherever Jesse was right now.

"We have to find him!" Xander was saying as Willow let the world rush back in.

"They could have taken him anywhere," Buffy told him as she shifted the ice pack on her arm. "They could have gotten him clear from the graveyard and voom!"

Xander looked surprised. "They can fly?"

"They can drive," Buffy replied.

"I didn't hear a car," Willow said.

"Then we have to assume then went underground. We could look in the public records, tunnels and such sort," Giles said rubbing his forehead.

"We so don't have that kind of time," Buffy told him urgently.

Willow looked her way. "I could, I mean, I could look on the computer."

Giles looked to the unused thing at the end of the library table. "You know how?" he asked.

Willow nodded. "Will is an ace hacker," Xander said. Willow scowled at him. "Slacker!" he amended, but that wasn't right either. "She's really good," he finished lamely still trying to support her.

Willow went to it and started it up she looked to Buffy who looked worried and mad. "We'll find something Buffy," she told her gently. Buffy smiled but Willow had a feeling she wouldn't be happy until she found Jesse safe.

It took a little time but she found it and Buffy realized the big vampire hadn't come into the mausoleum; he was leaving it so the entrance had to be inside of it. Buffy left after arguing with Xander that she was going on her own. Xander left to follow her, Willow knew it, and he knew she knew it. Willow stayed to help Giles work on something called The Harvest, gates of hell, rivers of blood. Sounded like fun. Not.

Willow skimmed through the internet looking up different topics that she and Xander had discussed before he went to class. She snorted to herself at that. Reign of toads, gross. Blood, vampires, more gross. She was getting angry though; Cordelia and Harmony were at another station talking bad about Buffy, something about the bathroom and a sharp piece of wood.

"She's a psycho loony," Cordelia was saying.

"She is not," Willow said not believing she had opened her mouth but she had.

"Excuse me?" Cordelia shot back acidly.

"She's not a psycho, you don't even know her," Willow told her.

"Really, and who gave you the right to exist?" Cordelia said. Willow looked away. She could only stand up to so much venom. "Horn in on my conversation will you," Cordelia muttered completely offended.

"Maybe you should focus on your own work and not other people," an older female voice said from nearby.

Cordelia stilled as Harmony made a horrified face. Willow glanced over to see Ms. Calendar, the computer teacher standing behind Cordelia.

"I didn't mean anything by it, just talk," Cordelia said. She liked Ms. Calendar.

"Uh huh," Ms. Calendar replied. "Finish your project." She left and came up to Willow's station and looked at her stuff. "Reign of fire?" Ms. Calendar asked quietly. "She's not worth it, Willow. Trust me," she said patting her shoulder she went back to look in on her students. Willow smiled. Ms. Calendar was cool. She shut off her machine and went to get the papers she printed out.

"It's done, how do we save it?" Harmony asked as the bell rang.

"Deliver," Willow said with a straight face as she took her papers and left.

"Oh," Cordelia replied and hit the DEL and looked to the screen. It went blank and Cordelia's eyes went wide. "NO!"

Willow swore she heard Ms. Calendar chuckling at that as she left.

 **oooooooooooo**

Willow looked to the outside of the Bronze from where she, Xander, Buffy and Giles had come here to stop the Harvest. To stop some big time vampire who came to Sunnydale sixty years or so ago and got stuck. Now he needed a surrogate vampire to drain blood to give him enough power to get free from his prison. She thought she'd had all the shock factor she could handle for the last 24 hours. She was wrong. Buffy and Xander had come back from their hunt for Jesse and she knew. Jesse was dead, he was a vampire. She couldn't believe it. She felt a hand on her back as they stopped to regroup.

"Focus," Giles told her. "For the moment it's all that matters now." All of them heard it.

Buffy handed Willow her bag with stakes, crosses and holy water in it. "You guys go around the back and get them out. I'll take care of the rest and don't go all Wild Bunch on me."

Willow followed Giles and Xander around to the back. She was scared, but this was bad, more than bad, very bad. All the doors were locked. "This is bad," Willow voiced her thoughts to them.

"We need to do something before Jesse does something stupider than usual," Xander told them.

Giles turned on them very serious. "He is not your friend," he bit out at Xander harshly. "Jesse is dead and that thing that's in there is what killed him." He looked to the two of them making sure they understood that he wasn't joking about this.

They found a crowbar and between Giles and Xander broke the lock on the back door and quietly hurried in and peered around to see what was going on. Buffy was fighting the big scary vampire with the triad mark on his forehead. The crowds were looking scared and the vampires were just watching.

Xander snuck in and began to motion the crowd to quietly go to where Giles and Willow were. "One at a time, quickly!" Giles said. "We're going to have to open the front," he told her seeing it was taking too long. He hurried to the other side of the room and Willow turned her attention from him to move others out.

She looked back to see the catholic stripper girl vampire from the mausoleum on top of Giles trying to bite him. "Sudo inflamari!" Willow said under her breath as the girl's fangs came awfully close to Giles's neck. Blue shot from her hand to Darla's sweater and the whole thing lit on fire. Darla was up and screaming, she ran out of the Bronze trying to get it off. Giles looked surprised at Willow as she came running up to help him.

"Willow," he started.

"We better get the rest of them," she replied quickly to avoid any talk of what happened.

He was silent for a long moment. "Yes, quite," he replied. But the look in his eyes said he saw what she did.

They came to see Buffy stake Luke and she looked to the other vampires and they ran. Xander was miserable as he came up to them; he had staked what was the remainder of his friend.

"Apocalypse averted," Buffy told them.

"One thing's for sure," Xander said putting his arm around both Buffy and Willow as they left. "Nothing's ever going to be the same around here again."

 **oooooooooooo**

They had jested about it and the future of what was to come the next day at school, mostly to rile Giles up. Cordelia and the others blew it off as some weird happening. They knew and Willow was a little scared.

It was getting late and Willow was in the kitchen reading over her spell book and one of the various notebooks she had on her study of this one book. Things had changed; she had a purpose for her magic now. How to use it, she was learning, she had to be careful because she could hurt someone. Giles, she could deny anything happened. She wasn't sure how to tell him, or Buffy, worse would be Xander.

No Jesse to tell anymore. Jesse was gone forever. Tears welled up in her eyes as she closed her books, one of her oldest friends gone forever. She'd never had someone really close to her die before.

There was a small knock at her door, the beat of the tap she knew. She swept her books up and stuck them in her bag as a dark head peered around the doorway. "Hey," Xander said as he came in with a paper bag.

"Hey," Willow replied as she looked to the table as a tear spilt out from her lashes.

Xander sat down beside her and pulled a six pack of beer out. Willow looked his way. "Gotta have a wake," he said shrugging. "My dad'll never know."

"By getting drunk?" she asked.

He shrugged again as he looked to them. "Sounded good at the time." She nodded at this and they were silent for a long moment. "It's weird you know," Xander said. "One minute he's there and the next voom."

Willow smiled as she looked up at her friend. "Jesse never had a car."

Xander smiled, his eyes were watery too. "I figure now he can fly."

Willow couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time. Xander wrapped his arms around her and held her as they said goodbye to their friend.

 **To Be Continued…**


	6. Chapter 6

Willow hummed to herself as she moved through the stacks of books Giles had from his own collection in the Sunnydale High library. He had collected them during his career as a watcher. There hadn't been anything going on lately to study up about, but Willow found she enjoyed just looking, and reading, and sometimes getting more than a little grossed out at the sick machinations of the evil undead.

At fourteen, almost fifteen Willow had seen more than a lot in the past two weeks of her life. Jesse dying, vampires existing, living on a Hellmouth. Which explained quite a bit of her odd childhood. Meeting the mythical Slayer and becoming best friends with her. She thought maybe the spells she could do had to do with being on the Hellmouth, but then how did the adults in New York do them? And it wasn't like she could ask Giles about it, though from the looks he gave her every so often she thought he might but she always found an excuse to leave if it was just the two of them alone. What if he told her she was evil? What if she was evil and didn't know it? She didn't feel evil. Wouldn't Buffy know if she was evil?

Tonight Willow was going to start tutoring Buffy at home so she didn't fail all her classes and Willow was already three months ahead of her reading AND had added extra credit to all of it. So far she was still a four point oh grade average and lovin' it. And the cheerleading tryouts were going to start tomorrow which meant Xander was going to go check out the girls, so she'd probably go check them out too. Willow stopped at that thought and rethought it. Check them out for their cheerleading, she amended. Willow nodded acceptance at that and continued looking as she came to a box on the floor that Giles hadn't finished unpacking. She crouched down and looked through them. They were odd books, dusty, and looked like they hadn't been touched in a long time. "Gothart's Demons and Devils, Nexus Imperium…" she stopped reading the titles out loud when she came to the next one and took it out, Charms, Spells and Incantations.

"Will?" Buffy called out as she came into the library. "Are you ready to go?"

Willow bit on her lower lip looking indecisive. "Uh, yeah, just a minute," Willow called back as she put the other books back and held the other one next to her as she went to look out and see where everyone was at. Xander wasn't there which was surprising seeing how much he was still drooling after the blond slayer. Buffy was sitting on the end of the big table in the center of the library looking bored and ready to leave and Giles was no where to be seen. She hurried down and Buffy smiled her way.

"You know, school's been over for a while," Buffy said. "You can stop reading for a few minutes."

Willow smiled at that as she went to her backpack and tucked the book in as Buffy popped her gum watching the doorway. Buffy was the coolest best friend, as cool as Xander even. Where Xander had years to build their friendship up, Buffy was a girl- an actual girlfriend that she could tell stuff to that Xander would never care about in his entire life. And for as cool as she was, Buffy wanted her to be her friend and that only made Buffy more of a best friend.

"You know if you babble in your mind for too long it's going to explode," Buffy informed her knowing her friend was that smart.

Willow looked up to see her looking her way. She blushed as she closed her backpack and put it on. "I wasn't babbling," she retorted and Buffy gave her a look. "Much."

Buffy smiled as she hopped off the table and slid her arm into Willow's and they headed for the door to the library. "I save my thinking for class only."

Giles came out from his office just then. "Buffy, good you're here," he said and the two girls stopped. "We need to talk about a schedule for your training."

Buffy made a face. "We'll have to do it later in the day; I'm going to try out for cheerleading tomorrow."

Willow made a face of horrow and looked more than a little scared. "Cheerleading?" she asked. Only the nasty girls did cheerleading.

Buffy shrugged. "It looks like fun, I'm cheery, I can cheer for others. I was on my Junior High squad in L.A."

Giles made a face as he pulled off his glassed. "Buffy, you don't have time for th-," he started only to be cut off.

"No!" Buffy told him firmly. "Its exercise and it'll be good for my grades."

Giles didn't look that impressed. "Slaying is more important, Buffy."

"I want to," she countered shaking her head, "no, I need to do this! Get something normal in my life, Giles." She folded her arms looking very serious. Willow figured he'd eventually give in with that look on her face.

He did.

 **oooooooooooo**

"Mom, I'm home!" Buffy called out as she headed into the small foyer of the Summer's residence with Willow behind her. The two didn't live that far apart from each other. Willow's house was about a half of a mile away in a richer area of the neighborhood.

Joyce Summers came out from the kitchen wiping her hands on a dish towel as the two put their bags on the dining room table. "Hey sweetie," she said as she came in with a smile. "How was school?"

Buffy made a face. "Same old school."

Joyce nodded with a look of resignation; Buffy just wasn't set on being a student. She looked to Willow then to Buffy. "Oh!" Buffy said smiling as she put her arm about Willow who looked shy but had a friendly grin. "Mom, Willow, Willow, Mom," Buffy said.

Joyce smiled as Willow grinned. She held out her hand to the redhead. "Willow, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Willow shook it. "A-and you Mrs. Summers," Willow said.

"Buffy's mentioned a lot about you and Xander is it?" Joyce told her.

Willow nodded enthusiastically. "Xander's my best friend; he'll probably follow us back here one day."

Joyce chuckled at that. "Willow's going to help me get caught up," Buffy told her.

Joyce looked impressed. "Well then, Willow you're welcome to the Summers house anytime you want."

Willow nodded a little at that. "Thanks, Mrs. Summers." Joyce headed into the kitchen as the two got their books and headed upstairs. "She seems really nice, Buffy," Willow said.

Buffy nodded. "My mom's cool," she replied as she led her into her room and watched as Willow looked around. "She's just so wanting to know every part of my life, EVERY part," Buffy said with a meaning to her voice.

Willow nodded then shook her head. "Once I had my bat mitzvah, my parents figured I could do things on my own."

Buffy gave her a look as she sat down on the end of her bed and patted a spot for Willow to join her. "Not so big on the Jewish terms, what's that?"

"It basically means when a girl turns twelve and a boy thirteen that you can take on adult responsibilities," Willow said as she pulled a few school books from her bag.

Buffy grimaced at this. "Wow, that's young."

"And you get lots of presents," Willow replied. Especially from her relatives back east, she had a little over ten thousand dollars in her savings account for college.

"Hmm, better," Buffy said as she took her shoes off and got out her own school books. "But they're home, right. You see them?"

"Once in a while, it's basically me and Xander when he comes over," Willow told her with a shrug.

Buffy looked more surprised and shocked at this. "You mean they really just leave you alone? All the time?"

Willow shrugged. "It's not that bad."

Buffy made a face that she didn't agree, but not where Willow could see it. She looked to the door of her room. "I bet my mom wishes she could do that. Here you go honey, you're an adult. See ya later."

Willow smiled a little. She'd heard about how Buffy's mom was on her case about missing school and getting low grades. But then Mrs. Summers didn't know that Buffy was the Slayer either. "I thought I was going to have to get married." Buffy looked her way confused. "At my bat mitzvah."

Buffy laughed at that. "At twelve? Why?"

Willow shrugged. "It was an adult thing, I figured when you're an adult you get married. And my dad had a jewelry box."

"Why?" Buffy asked curiously.

Willow reached up and felt her pendant. "Just giving me a piece of my past," she said softly.

Buffy watched her for a moment, she knew if Willow wanted to tell her she would. If not, she'd bug her about it later. "Want me to show you my cheer for tomorrow?"

Willow nodded, she'd never done the girly friendship stuff before. History could wait.

 **oooooooooooo**

Willow followed Xander into the gym after school the next day. Xander had three candy bars, two sodas, and a pack of mini donuts as they climbed the bleachers to an upper tier. Xander was happy as he sat down and handed her the donuts and opened his Snickers bar and watched the pretty girls in short skirts.

Willow watched too. Buffy was going through her routine which Willow thought was really good. Cordelia was of course center stage having been head cheerleader at Wilkins Junior High last year.

"Hey," Xander said through a mouthful of chocolate and peanuts. "Isn't that Amy?"

Willow looked over to see an old friend of hers, Amy Madison. Okay, this was odd for her, Amy hated cheerleading. Mostly because her mom was a cheerleader in high school and became obsessive about it after it was over. She'd never met Mrs. Madison; Amy always came over to her place. Then they just sorta stopped being friends a few years ago, Amy did her own thing and Willow learned she was a magic person.

Buffy waved to them and they waved back, Xander giving her a thumbs up and drooling over her again. "Short skirts," Xander said with a grin, "me like."

Willow rolled her eyes at that but she noticed Cordelia's skirt then turned to the project of opening her package of donuts carefully trying NOT to think about it.

 **oooooooooooo**

"That was just weird, a-and sad," Willow said as she walked Buffy home from the tryouts. Or more like Buffy was walking Willow home. "The whole light up on fire thing." A girl's hands in tryouts lit up on fire. Buffy saved her with some quick thinking.

Buffy nodded. "It's a wiggy, but seeing where we live-,"

"Not so wiggy," Willow finished for her and Buffy nodded again. They came up to Willow's house and there were lights on.

"Your parents home?" Buffy asked.

"Timer lights," Willow told her. "They'll be back in a week, conference in New York."

"You know Will; you can come stay at my house any time. My mom thinks you're the best thing since Eggo waffles," Buffy told her seriously.

Willow smiled at that. "She even invited me to dinner."

Buffy nodded. How could she not? Buffy had asked and Joyce had asked about Willow's parents and once she heard about Willow's situation dinner was a definite 'go'.

"You wanna come in?" Willow asked.

Buffy shook her head. "I still have homework before patrolling."

"I could come patrol with you," Willow offered even though she wasn't sure what she could do, other than give moral support.

Buffy shook her head again but the smile she got for offering made it worth it. "No thanks, Will. Giles is still field rating me."

Willow smiled at that and watched as Buffy headed off across the street at a quick running clip. She let herself inside and set her books down on the counter in the kitchen and found herself something to eat. Macaroni and cheese TV dinner wasn't so bad. Willow nuked it as she headed upstairs returning with her newest borrowed item. The spell book from Giles, she spent so long at Buffy's last night and then today at school this was the first time she had gotten a chance to look at it.

Setting her dinner on the dining room table she flipped through the book as she ate a few bites here and there. It was very different from the spell book she had now. It wasn't one word, it was sentences, and it didn't really explain what the spell did. She decided on one and left the room for a moment and came back with a small potted plant. It had long green leaves and a stalky base.

Setting it on the dining table she picked up her book and read the spell again and then looked at the plant and pointed her finger at it. "Bona orbis terrarium, sero, terra. Niteo per haud opus," she said. Magic flew from her finger but it went crazy. It hit the plant on the table and other bits of magic from her whooshed around the house making Willow duck at one point so she wouldn't get hit. She squeaked as she dodged it hiding under the table. No, no, no! Her parents were going to kill her if the house was damaged! She heard pings, and something broke and then finally everything went quiet.

Shaking Willow opened her eyes and looked out from her hiding place to see one big plant by the china cabinet was very dead looking, the pot was shattered. Something moved over the edge of the table and Willow slowly crawled out to see the plant she had put there was growing. A lot and fast. The leaves were flowing and the stalks getting thicker and longer.

"Oh no," she got out as she dropped the spell book and ran out into the backyard. "No vampires, no vampires," she prayed in mantra to whomever was listening as she sprinted to the tool shed and tried to remember the combination as her mind was working so fast. She got in and out with a pair of hedge trimmers and ran back inside. Leaves were coming into the kitchen and she got a chef's knife from the knife block and began to slice her way through the foliage back to the table.

Willow sat back in her seat minutes later exhausted as she trimmed the plant down to the dirt but it was still growing. Tears had come by now and she was shivering in fear and shock not knowing what to do. She ran upstairs and got the spellbook that worked for her. She hurried through it looking as she ran back downstairs. She pointed at it.

"Finite incantatem!" she yelled out.

The plant stopped growing. She waited for a long minute to make sure her finger shakily pointing at it waiting to see if she needed to do it again. She looked to the other house plants, half of them were dead. A few looked okay until she realized they were the fake ones. Two ferns had interlinked together but they weren't out of control. She wasn't sure how she was going to explain that to her parents. When she was sure everything was okay she hurried to the bathroom, she was lucky she didn't wet herself when it first started she scared herself so bad.

 **oooooooooooo**

Willow sat in the school library four days later. She was stunned at all that had happened. More weird things had been going on. One cheerleader actually lost her mouth, Cordelia was blind, Buffy was sweating and acting like she was on a load of drugs this morning and now she was just sweating and acting – well like on another load of drugs but downer drugs. She looked really sick and they were talking about Amy doing witchcraft. And they were talking like witchcraft was bad. And that wasn't good. Not for her anyway.

"How do we reverse the spell?" Xander asked.

Giles was looking through a book and watching over Buffy who was lying down. "We need Amy's spell book, if it is Amy," Giles said as he wiped off Buffy's brow with a cool cloth. "We don't know actually know that it is Amy."

"We know," Buffy said tiredly. "Who else could it be?"

"If we can't get her spell book?" Willow asked. What was so amazing about a spell book? She had one but it wasn't crucial to anything now that she learned the stuff from it.

"Then we'll have to cut her head off," Giles told her.

Xander nodded angrily. "Off with her head!" he declared.

Willow knew that the anger in his voice was that Buffy was hurt, not that someone was a witch. Hopefully. Willow saw Giles was watching her closely.

"It's not Amy's fault. She only became a witch to survive her mother," Buffy told them defending her now that she had gotten to know Amy through cheerleading.

"There are ways to tell a witch," Giles told them. He took out a small gold looking item that had a pentagram in it. He threw it to Willow who instinctively caught it in both hands. She looked shocked as she held it, wondering what in the world he was up to but then he looked surprised.

Xander took it from her and looked to it. "How does it work?" he asked.

"It- it's supposed to make the witch glow if she has any power," Giles said taking off his glasses for a moment.

Buffy was watching the weirdness between Giles and Willow. Willow looked confused and closed off before they even got this far into their conversation now she added upset to that. "Xander and Willow can go find Amy and see if she glows from touching it," Giles said. "If not we'll go over to her house and confront the mother."

Willow walked along the school hallway with Xander who was flipping the 'witch detector' up in the air. Willow was a little put out with Giles. But in a way she understood his thinking. If she was a witch he would want to know for certain. She also didn't understand why it didn't glow either.

"I have to go pick something up," Willow told her friend as the lunch bell rang. "It won't take long."

Xander nodded. "I'll keep on the hunt for our little witchy cheerleader."

Willow hurried for the gates to the school watching out for any school authority like the principal. She'd never actually left during the middle of school before but this was important, especially if she wanted to help Buffy.

 **oooooooooooo**

Willow jogged over to the Madison house. She knew Amy or she hoped she still knew Amy. She hurried up the walkway to the front door and danced around just a little getting her nerve up to ring the doorbell. She didn't have to when it opened to reveal Amy in her cheerleading outfit.

"Hey Amy," Willow squeaked out. She didn't expect her to be here during school hours.

Amy smiled; it didn't make it to her eyes. "Hey Willow," she replied. "What's up?"

"Um, could I talk to you for a minute?" Willow asked.

Amy nodded and opened the door wider. "Come on in."

Willow peered in. "Maybe we could talk outside. If your mom's here I mean."

Amy smiled at this. "She is, but she's busy. We can go to my room."

Willow smiled back. "Okay, thanks. I just needed to ta-," nothing more came out when she stepped over the threshold of the house. Every bone in her body went limp but she was still awake.

"Amy! Come and help me!" Amy yelled.

"You- Amy," Willow said dazedly.

Amy smiled cruelly at her. "Hardly," she replied as Mrs. Madison appeared looking very scared as she picked up Willow's legs and they began to take her upstairs.

Willow looked up at Amy's form. "Expel-," she got out only to have Amy clamp her hand over her mouth.

"I know what you are little witch," Amy said. "Do not try it with me."

Amy wrenched her around and carried her up and into a small scary room putting her on the floor in the corner. It was stinky and dark and just nasty with pots and icky looking things hanging around. "Out!" she ordered at Mrs. Madison who scurried away. She shut the door and turned to where Willow was just getting some movement back in her fingers. Then all of the sudden Amy was on top of her rifling through her clothing.

"Hey," Willow protested but that was all she could do. 

"Where is it?" Amy commanded. Willow couldn't fight her off with whatever whammy was put on her. Amy even pulled off her shoes and socks and then came back up to grab the collar of Willow's shirt yanking her head up off the ground; her eyes were mean and angry. "Where's your wand?"

Willow shook her head. "Don't have one," she got out.

Amy looked confused. "You're a witch! How could you not have a wand?" She looked at her again and then spoke a few words in a language she didn't know and touched Willow's forehead with the palm of her hand and Willow screamed. The pain was unbelievable.

Amy laughed and laughed. "You're wandless!" she said with glee, her face right up to Willow's. "A wandless witch! I can do so much with this body! The wizarding world will never know what hit them!"

She got up and went to a cupboard and began to mix a few things. "Rosenberg isn't a wizarding family name unless you're a mudblood." She stopped to look Willow's way with a frown. "Are you?"

Willow finally got her hands to her head to hold it. Amy came back and grabbed her shirt and lifted her up and they struggled but Amy got her to swallow something nasty then held her hand over Willow's mouth so she wouldn't throw it up. "That's the poor witch's form of Veritaserum, do you know what that is?" she asked. Willow shook her head. "The ultimate in truth potions, you will tell me everything I want to know about everything you know."

Willow coughed as she backed up to a wall, she felt so ill and she wished she'd been honest with Xander and Buffy and Giles about what she could do so she wouldn't be here right now.

"Now tell me Willow," Amy said. "What's your name?"

"Willow Danielle Rosenberg," Willow said. She couldn't stop herself it just came out.

Amy smirked. "Are you a mudblood?"

"I don't know what that is," Willow replied.

"Do you have a wand?"

"No."

"You do magic without a wand?" Amy said.

Willow nodded. "Yes." She tried to stand up but Amy kicked her feet out from underneath her and Willow landed hard on her back smacking her head on the floor.

"I wouldn't try that again," Amy said. "You've got no padding for it and it must hurt."

It did, Willow fought the tears. Amy knelt over her and looked her in the eyes. "Why are you so concerned about Buffy?" she asked.

"She's my friend," Willow said. She struggled. "She's the Slayer."

Amy's eyes lit up. "Really? Everyone believes them to be a myth; her blood would do well in potions." She turned back to her. "How did you learn to do spells?"

"A book, I found a book at Sunnydale Lake," Willow told her.

"A spell book?"

"Yes."

Amy smiled at this. "I have those. But I have no wand," she told her as she heard an alarm go off. "When I return you and I will do a little spell together that will give me your power and you can have Amy's."

Willow watched her leave and something was spoken over the door. Willow had a feeling Amy was going to change their bodies and Willow liked her body and didn't want to lose it, especially not to her. She slowly got up and her body felt like a mass of pain. She went over to the door and it wouldn't budge when she tried to open it. "Alohamora," she said over it. It didn't move. Crap.

Willow didn't know many opening spells so she decided to look through what Amy had here, or should she say Mrs. Madison in Amy's body. Gross.

She gave wide berth to the boiling pots and she saw little Barbie dolls dressed up like cheerleaders with things on them or tied around them. Ew. She looked through the cupboards and found a chest in front and opened it. Inside was a spell book that with just a touch of it she felt dark crawl along her skin. She didn't see the tips of her hair turn black. She set it aside and looked through the rest of it. She found a bag filled with odd looking money; gold, silver and copper; the biggest one said galleon on it. She put that to the other side of the chest and found a book of potions. It was called Advanced Potion Making. She looked at it and it seemed like one that could help her. She found three other books, one on transfiguration, a grade 6 standard book of spells by the same author as her book, and the last one was Magick Most Evile.

Willow didn't like the sound of that one but saw that it was her kind of magic and maybe it would get her out of there. She found old photos and the people were moving like what she swore she saw in that place in New York. And there was a book; it had newspaper clippings in it all from the spell casters newspapers, because the people moved.

There was a picture of Catherine Madison on it but a lot younger. She was in robes like the New York people and she looked really scary angry. She also looked like a stuck up Cordelia with the snotty look on her face. Willow coughed out the nasty fumes in the air as she read it.

"Morgana Burgeis, one of seven students at Ilvermorny escaped Ministry Aurors in Whitegrass, Ohio awaiting transport to Karavak Prison. Burgeis, claiming to be a purist, was found guilty of torture, murder, rape and dark wizardry by MACUSA. Reward for her capture is five thousand galleons, dead or alive."

Willow sat back and moved the Magick Most Evile book to the bad pile.

 **oooooooooooo**

Xander came back from lunch to see Buffy wasn't looking any better. "Everyone's leaving for the game, and no Amy so no testing," he told them holding up the pentagram. "What's the plan?"

Giles looked up at him. "Where's Willow?"

Xander looked around. "She said she would come here, she had to get something." He looked around a little more. "She's not here?"

Giles gave him a look. "If she was, would I ask?" he replied testily. He stood up and helped Buffy up. "I need you to go watch Amy. We're going to get the spell book then we need things," he said straining as he held Buffy up where she stood limply against him, "from the science lab, keep your eye on her when you find her."

Xander nodded. "What about Willow?"

"She'll come," Giles told him as they left. Xander headed for the gym where the band was playing to get the crowd excited.

Buffy looked up to Giles. "You know where she is?" the Slayer asked.

"I have an idea," he told her as he helped her out to his car.

 **oooooooooooo**

Willow put everything back into the chest save for Amy's spell book, the weird looking coins, and the two books she took out. She leaned against the door as she searched through the books looking for something. The fumes were making her really sick. She pounded against the door again. "Amy!" she called out. "Let me out!" Like before there was no noise, so Amy in Catherine's or should she say Morgana 'the bitch' Burgeis's body wasn't answering or listening. She found new spells and looking through the other spell book made her feel a little funny. "Evanseco," she said to the coins and the two books that weren't tainted and they vanished. She stood up and with all the strength she had left in her she tried once more with a new spell she found in the books. "Bombarda!" she said pointing at the door.

The door blew up and knocked Willow back into the wall knocking her out. 'Amy' hurried down the stairs looking scared to death.

It wasn't long afterward that Giles and Buffy made their way to the Madison's house and 'Amy' was bullied into helping them. Giles hurried up the stairs following 'Amy' to see Willow still out crumpled in a corner. Her hair was turning black and her skin was very pale. "Willow," he muttered worriedly as he pulled her up. "Help me with her," he told 'Amy'.

'Amy' got Willow downstairs and Giles followed with a bunch of dolls and Catherine's spell book that had been resting by them. "You're going to have to help us," he said to 'Amy' as he looked to Buffy who was looking worse and Willow who was still unconscious.

"Her hair's black, Giles," Buffy said weakly.

"I know, we'll talk about it later, let's get to the school," he told her as he picked Willow up and 'Amy' helped Buffy to the car.

It took them a little while to get there. Buffy stroked Willow's hair, it felt the same but it was pitch black. That was freaky. Soon Giles was taking Willow out and 'Amy' was helping her inside.

"I didn't know, Buffy," Amy said in Catherine's voice. "I didn't know, she only said I was wasting my youth."

Mothers.

Did Buffy have the only normal one left?

Willow jerked awake as they made it to the science lab and she threw up in a wastebasket. Giles saw it was black filth from inhaling so much of it. "Amy, lock the door," Giles said as he sat Willow up and looked at her. Her eyes were black as well. "What the hell did you do to yourself, girl?" he asked.

Willow didn't answer as he put her by Buffy. "You watch her, Amy help me with the spell."

"Will?" Buffy said very weak now.

Tears came to Willow's eyes, she hurt all over but Buffy was dying. "I'm sorry," Willow told her. "I tried but she was waiting."

Buffy grunted that it was okay. Giles poured some things together and began to chant. Willow took out her pendant and held it. She needed something good to go on now. He was halfway through when the door handle jiggled violently. Giles didn't stop but Willow felt strong enough to stand up, she held Buffy's hand.

"He's doing it, Buffy," she whispered confidently for her friend.

She jumped when splinters of wood shot out and the after a few more whacks the tip of an axe could be seen poking through the middle of the door. Holy cow, the woman really was violent just like the newspapers said.

The door splintered in and there was a really mad looking Amy. She saw 'Amy' and Giles working on the reversal spell and she turned their way. Willow stole up any courage she had and tackled her, she was crazy she knew, but this was Buffy who was dying.

Amy went down with her and they rolled on the ground. Amy saw the pendant around Willow's neck, her eyes wide. "You are not Wiccan!" Amy hissed at her as she got the upper hand holding Willow down. "Your pendant.. so powerful an item, created by lots of money." She grabbed it and screamed letting it go when it burned her hand. Willow shoved her off and Amy scrambled for the axe. They separated as Giles's finished the spell.

Amy blinked a few times and looked confused, more at the axe in her hands. Willow turned as Mrs. Madison screamed in anger and threw Giles against the wall with magic and he was knocked out. Then she turned to Willow. "Tainted with black magic, you will be a better host than my own squib of a daughter!" She looked to Amy. "You'll go to a place you truly deserve!" She reached her hand out and Willow felt a pull at her neck. She looked to see her pendant come up a little then lay back down. "Remove it! Remove it!" Catherine screamed in pain as she felt a very strong hand pinching her neck.

"Why should she?" Buffy asked now back to normal since the spell was undone.

Catherine flung her back with a wave of her hand. "Accio Buffy," Willow said and Buffy shifted course and came back at Catherine. Buffy was ready and hit Catherine hard enough to knock her to the back of the classroom. Buffy caught herself in front of Willow and smiled her way.

"You keeping something from me, Will?" she asked. Willow shrugged a little embarrassed.

"Keeping something?!" Catherine ground out angrily wiping blood from a cut on her face. "She's a wandless witch and you didn't even know it, Slayer!" She let out a bit of a crazy laugh at that. "More powerful than any black spell of what you call witchcraft. But being a wizarding witch is so much more and soon I will have it again." She began to chant something and a violet colored power built around her. Buffy pressed Willow down as the spell came her way. Buffy pushed the teacher's table mirror down and it shot back at Catherine. The woman screamed as the spell sucked her in and then she was gone.

"You told her I was the Slayer?" Buffy asked.

Willow shrugged now feeling the pain of everything that happened to her. "Sorry."

Buffy saw the mottled bruises on Willow's arms and the pain her in eyes as Giles woke up. Amy was standing away from them scared. "What happened to my mom?" she asked.

Buffy looked to where Catherine the Great had once stood. "Not of the good I'd imagine," she told her as she helped Giles and Willow up.

Xander came in and grabbed Amy. "I got her! I got her!" he called out.

"Xander, she's Amy again," Buffy said.

"She is?" he said looking to Amy and how close he was to her breasts.

Amy nodded feeling very uncomfortable. "I am."

Xander let her go and looked to them. "You get your hair dyed Will? That was the big thing you left for?"

"She got caught by Amy's- mother," Giles said. "She has some dark magic to get rid of."

They went back to the library and Giles took Willow into his office. "I know you're hurting Willow. What you did was brave and stupid. But what are you thinking of trying witchcraft on your own?" Willow looked so ashamed he couldn't stay mad long. He crouched down to look her in the eye. "It's deadly a- and unworthy of a soul such as yours, Willow," he told her looking to the bruises on her neck and hands. "Did you borrow the books from me?"

Willow nodded. "A book," she got out.

"I would like it returned and there will be no more spoken of this," he said. "It was good of you to try and help Buffy but witchcraft only leads to a darker place, as you can see from Catherine Madison's doing." He sounded like he was talking about just more than that.

"I will, I'm sorry, Giles," she told him. She couldn't believe it. He didn't know the difference between her magic and this evil black magic.

He nodded and patted her shoulder and she winced at the pain she felt there. "Let's get you home."

The group left the library and headed down the hallway as the game went on, none of them saw Ms. Calendar watch them as they left.

 **oooooooooooo**

Willow entered her house slowly, her whole body hurt. Buffy followed in telling Giles she was going to help her. Xander offered but the girls both firmly told him no. He might not realize at the moment that Willow was in fact a girl, but seeing her in a towel just might change that. Buffy went upstairs and found the bathroom as Willow followed as Buffy started the water going, even putting bubbles in. Willow had been silent the whole trip over and Buffy hadn't mentioned what Catherine had said. Willow came in, in a towel and Buffy made a face at the bruises on her shoulders and back. "Will, what happened?" she asked.

Willow looked to her friend and Buffy helped her into the tub. "You have to promise me, Buffy," she told her, "you can't tell anyone."

"Why?" Buffy asked. "What about Giles?"

"He thinks I'm a Wiccan type caster," she said looking up at her friend. "I- I'm not."

"What more is there?" Buffy asked as she carefully lathered Willow's hair and black came out in the lather.

Willow told her about being adopted and the pendant and the things she could do and her experience in New York. Buffy was shocked but then a grin came as she rinsed her best friend's hair. "So, a Slayer, a Witch, a Watcher and a Xander walk into a bar."

Willow smiled at this. Buffy always made everything seem like it wasn't so serious, even though it was. "Do you see why I can't tell Giles?" she asked.

Buffy nodded. "One day, Will, you're going to have to. What you can do, that's really amazing. You shouldn't have to hide it, not from friends."

"You think Xander's going to understand?" Willow said. "He wanted to cut Amy's head off."

"You're not Amy," Buffy replied. "I think he might take it better." She washed Willow's hair out again. "I'll call my mom and tell her I'm staying over here," Buffy said. Willow nodded. Buffy stopped at the door. "I won't tell," she told her redheaded friend. "But I won't let you get hurt over it either." She left and Willow slid down into the tub. She wasn't worried, she had Buffy now and that made things a lot better.

 **oooooooooooo**

Sirius Black sat high up in the clouds astride the Hippogriff Buckbeak looking down over the West Coast school of Wizardry called Crystalsea. It was a beautiful place with a palace on an island hidden off the coast of America on the California/Oregon border. He had spent the last month infiltrating it as Snuffles, the black dog he could turn into. There was no girl there looking at all like the image he had from Remus's mind.

He pulled out his two way mirror and soon Remus showed up on the other end. "Any luck?" Remus asked.

"No my friend, she's not here," he replied.

"Damn," Remus said. "None of the schools have her then."

"How would she know about the Black Manticore?" Sirius asked.

Remus shrugged. "No clue. Let's spread out from there. We'll start with the wizarding cities and go from there." He was gone and Sirius put the mirror back and headed Buckbeak for Ambergate, Oregon.

 **To Be Continued…**


	7. Chapter 7

"So, what do you think?" Buffy asked around her chewing gum.

Willow looked her way with a smile. "He's cute."

"Just cute?" Buffy replied looking a little surprised.

Willow smiled. "Dark, broody and handsome cute."

Buffy grinned pleased at that. "Very non talky, broody, very handsomely cute."

They were talking about Angel. The vampire with a soul that was in a roundabout way helping Buffy with vampire problems that arose in Sunnydale and Buffy was crushing on him. Willow and Xander saw him for the first time the other night at the Bronze. Xander of course hadn't been pleased, but then seeing how he didn't like anyone who liked Buffy in a sexual way that was a given. And honestly, Xander didn't hold a candle to Angel – well in anything other than Xander was actually living.

The two teenagers were on their way to school. They had gotten into the habit of going together and meeting Xander there. Buffy's grades were picking up so her mom was off her back. They went up the steps together walking through the crowd of high school students to see Xander waiting for them.

"Hey Xander," Willow said looking at him and her eyebrows went up and she looked Buffy's way.

Buffy had stopped chewing on her gum as she looked his way too. "So Xander…"

He nodded as he looked to the ground glancing up at each one then back down. "What did you do to your hair?" Willow asked. Xander looked worried and she stilled. "No, it looks really nice, I like it! It looks great!" She looked panicked at Buffy. "Doesn't he look great?"

Xander's tangled locks that had always been in disarray for as long as Willow could remember were gone, Xander had gotten his hair cut and styled. Buffy worked not to smile as she looked Willow's way and the glance between them showed that they were thinking the same thing. It looked an awful lot like Angel's hair style. His clothing looked more like they had been washed and cared for, still boy's clothing but better.

Buffy smiled and Xander brightened. "You look really great," she told him.

"Great!" he said as he hopped over to her side. "I was just thinking a change might do me good."

Willow watched the two of them as they walked toward the school then Buffy looked back at her and Willow came forward. Any feeling she had that she might have towards liking Xander in a girlfriend capacity was now gone. And she didn't feel that bad about it. She glanced over at Cordelia and her horde and saw the pants she was in and the smooth line from her hip down her leg then back to Xander. Nope, the feeling wasn't near the same.

She walked along with them towards the library thinking about things as Buffy and Xander talked. Buffy was beautiful, why didn't she think about her like she did about Cordelia? "Maybe I have masochistic tendencies," she muttered to herself. This would explain a lot, her parents had talked about things like that when they didn't think she was listening.

"What?" Buffy asked.

Willow shook her head as she followed them into the library. "Just thinking about homework."

Buffy waited for her to catch up. "What's wrong?" she asked. Willow shrugged as they made their way to the large wood table. "He loves you Will," Buffy said about Xander.

Willow let out a little sigh. "Not like I ever thought he would," she replied looking to her friend. "He cut his hair for you."

Buffy rolled her eyes a little. "You know I don't see him that way, right?" she whispered. Xander had taken a chair and was waiting for them. Willow nodded, Buffy was totally hung on Angel and it seemed with how Buffy talked the feeling might be mutual and if that was the case… she looked to Xander who had tipped his chair back a little too far and was trying to right himself without looking stupid in front of Buffy. Xander really didn't have a chance with Buffy.

The four of them, the fourth being Giles, had lived through Buffy's nightmare date with Owen three days ago at the funeral home, and that had been scary. Buffy had given up on him finding out that Owen was a bit much morbid. Xander thought his shot was there but Angel gave Buffy his jacket in a completely swoonable gesture of a true gentleman. Nope, not a chance in hell.

Chance in… Willow smiled at that thought as she sat down at the computer on the table and booted it up.

Giles came in reading a book and he looked up to see them there. "Ah yes, good morning," he told them as he sat down at the table with them.

"So what's the sitch?" Buffy asked as she pulled out a lipstick from her pack.

"Nothing at the moment," Giles told her as he took off his glasses. "Patrol, training…"

"No upcoming doom, impending peril?" Buffy asked looking pleased.

"No, no, not that I'm aware of," Giles replied, "that doesn't mean to stop watching-."

"For upcoming doom and impending peril," Xander replied. "Maybe we could Bronze it tonight then."

Buffy smiled at the thought of seeing Angel again. Xander leaned over into Willow's range his face almost next to hers as he looked at the screen then at her when she said nothing. "What'd ya say Will?" he asked. "Bronze, drinks?" he waggled his eyebrows at her and she finally smiled.

"Maybe, Ms. Calendar wanted me to help her with a project after school," she told him. "And my parents are home."

Buffy sat up at that. "Really, they're home?"

Giles looked to them confused as he was cleaning his glasses. "This is odd?"

"They're like non there parents, Giles," Buffy said giving him a look.

Giles frowned a little at that remembering that Buffy had mentioned it a few times. "Should I talk with them, Willow?"

"No!" Willow said loudly then went pale as she hunched over the keyboard. "No, I think someone already did."

They all looked her way. "What do you mean?" Buffy asked.

Willow shrugged. "One day they're going to be gone for three weeks on a seminar and the next they're home acting like a happy family. A couple of people I've never met before came over and talked with them, but I didn't get to hear what they were saying."

She did actually by casting a listening spell. They were with Social Services, someone had called up telling them that their fourteen year old daughter was living in the house on her own for weeks on end. They didn't say who it was, but there were only a handful of people that even knew. Buffy's mom was one.

What was harder was that she loved her parents but she didn't feel connected to them anymore. They had been traveling for so long Willow almost felt like the house was hers. People came and trimmed the lawn and that, but she kept everything going on the inside and her parents came to visit. Willow felt more family like towards Buffy and her mom than her own parents. How sad was that?

The door to the library opened and they looked to see it was Amy Madison. She smiled at them and came in a little ways. "Hi," she said happily. She was a free woman with a new lot on life, her mother was missing, her father was doting on her, she couldn't be happier. "Um, I was wondering if I could talk to you Willow?" she asked.

Willow nodded. "O-okay." She stood and got her backpack. "See you guys in second period."

She followed Amy out and they walked slowly along the hallway. "Listen," Amy told her as she watched the crowds. "I never said thanks for helping out. That was cool what you did confronting my mom."

Willow shook her head. "Don't-," she started but Amy interrupted.

"I was wondering," Amy said looking her way. "You did spells in there, in that room."

Willow stopped walking and Amy watched her. "I- Amy, do you know who your mom is?" she asked.

Amy nodded still watching her intently. "I found the stuff in there, the newspapers. I'd never seen anything like that before. She said you had it, what she had. What is it?"

Willow wrapped her arms about herself and looked her way. She saw Buffy and Xander pass her looking her way curiously. "Maybe we could meet and talk about it."

Amy smiled at this. "That would be great!" she told her enthusiastically. "When?"

Willow thought about it. Couldn't go to her home… "The park, around five?"

Amy nodded at this. "I'll be there, thanks, Willow." She headed down the hallway and Willow leaned back against the lockers there. Great, great, great, she berated herself. She hurried when the bell for first class rang.

 **oooooooooooo**

Willow stared at her computer screen not really seeing anything for a few minutes. It was four thirty and she couldn't get meeting Amy out of her mind. Ms. Calendar came to rest against the desk watching her. "You okay?" she asked her student.

Willow looked up at her and blushed as she focused on her monitor again. "I'm okay."

Ms. Calendar nodded a little but still watched her. "How's the project coming?"

Willow smiled at her. "Almost done."

"Why don't you finish it in class tomorrow?" she told her. "I'm sure you'd rather hang out with your friends than here with me, Dave and Fritz." Her other two budding geniuses, Willow looked worried at that but Ms. Calendar leaned over and whispered. "If I can get you to leave, I can get them to leave and then I can go home and take a long bath, weekend coming up and all that." Willow looked embarrassed but nodded as Ms. Calendar smiled at her. The teacher loved to tease; she wasn't like most other teachers at Sunnydale.

"I'm sorry," Willow said turning off her machine.

"Hey, don't worry," Ms. Calendar told her as she stood up. "Dave, Fritz, you boys head on home too."

Dave did as she asked but Fritz looked like he really didn't want to leave. Finally after a look from his teacher he began to shut his computer down as well.

Willow bent over to get a book that had fallen from her pack and tucked everything in and stood to see Ms. Calendar waiting for her. She blushed a little as she came to the door; Dave and Fritz were already gone. Ms. Calendar was pretty for a teacher, she wasn't that old, not Giles old.

"I'll walk you out," Ms. Calendar said as she shut off the lights and they went into the hallway. All the lights were off, everyone had gone home. They went outside and Ms. Calendar smiled her way and looked down. "That's a beautiful pendant, may I look at it?" she asked.

Willow looked to see that her pendant had slipped out of her shirt when she was reaching for her book. She nodded and her teacher gently lifted it up and looked at it. "That's amazing detail, a beautiful piece, a willow even." She rubbed her fingers over it a few times then laid it back down onto Willow's shirt and Willow tucked it back in so it rested against her skin where it felt safe. "Do you want a ride home?" Ms. Calendar asked nodding to the only car left in the teacher's parking lot.

Willow shook her head. "I'm meeting a friend at the park in a little while."

Ms. Calendar nodded as she took out her keys. "Well, get home before dark then, you never know what's out there," she told her as she headed for her car with a wave.

Willow nodded and gave her a small one back. Crap, is it dark headed women or what? She hiked her pack up on her shoulder and headed for the park. "I'll have Buffy kill me if I get a crush on my teacher," she muttered to herself. Who could forget Xander's escapades with Ms. French the freaky praying mantis science teacher substitute? She smiled at that. She and Buffy didn't let him forget, not for a few more months anyway.

She found herself in a pretty park, the closest one to the high school. It had trees and benches, even a fountain. There were a few people out walking dogs and sitting on the grass and talking. She saw Amy was already there pacing around. Amy came her way when she saw her. They sat down in an area where they could watch to see if someone was coming.

"Tell me," Amy demanded.

Willow sighed. "I-I don't know what to tell. I found a spell book and found I could do them. I don't know how, or even where. I'm surprised your mom was one. I mean, even though she was an evil one which was sorta really scary," she stopped and shut up before she babbled even more.

Amy digested that for a moment. "I found some stuff of hers. But I couldn't do any of it. She needed a wand. She talked about it all the time."

Willow shrugged. "I never needed one." Amy opened her mouth but Willow shook her head. "I don't know why."

"Show me, please," Amy asked.

Willow looked around then saw a stick on the ground about twenty feet from them. "Accio stick," she said holding out her hand. It came to her easily and she grasped it then set it down.

"Ack-key-oh?" Amy repeated.

"Ah-chee-oh," Willow corrected. "That and what you want. Do something close and easy."

Amy held out her hand and looked to a smaller stick on the ground about three feet from her. "Accio stick," she said. Nothing happened. She tried a few more times then looked to Willow.

Willow shrugged. "It's like you can feel it running through you, or at least I can."

Amy tried it a few more times but nothing happened. "I don't feel it." Willow chewed on her lower lip a little not knowing what to tell her. Amy sighed and got up. "Thanks anyway Willow," she said with a little smile. "See ya."

Willow watched her go, she was glad there wasn't any argument about it. How was she supposed to teach her? It wasn't like she knew what she was doing half the time anyway. Now she was glad she wouldn't have to give back those spell books of her mom's. Catherine Madison alias of Morgana Burgeis was a sick woman, she had notations in the books she had of people who were mudbloods. Whatever that meant. And certain things she had done to others with the help of her sick friends. Apparently the ones kept in this Karavak place. She got up and hurried home, her parents were probably going to have dinner and that she didn't want to miss out on.

She made it home to see the man and woman from before leaving her house. "Miss Rosenberg, Willow?" the woman said.

Willow slowed down to stop by them. "Yes?"

She held out her hand. "I'm Ms. Coltrane and this is Mr. Weiss, we're with Social Services."

Willow took her hand slowly and glanced up to see that her mother was looking out the front window curtains. "Okay."

"You're late coming home from school today," the agent told her as she opened a planner she had in her bag.

"Extra credit work in computer science," she told them feeling a little faint. What were they going to do?

The agent nodded again as the other one rested against the car. "You are an excellent student." She smiled her way as she handed her a business card. "I'd like you to call me anytime if you have a problem. Can you do that for me Willow?" she asked.

Willow looked to the card in her fingers like it was something foreign. Anna Coltrane, Social Services, with a phone number listed. "O-okay," she stuttered out a little. "Did I do something wrong?" she asked nervously.

They both smiled at this. "No," Mr. Weiss told her. "We'll come and check up on you next week."

Willow watched them get into their car and leave as she headed through the gate to her house. Sheila Rosenberg was there waiting for her. Sheila looked worried but let everything go in silence. Dinner wasn't as nice as she thought it would be.

 **oooooooooooo**

Music poured through the speakers into the dim club surrounding dancers on the floor of the Bronze, people at the tables and by the bar and up the stairs watching over what was going on below. It rested on two sets of eyes, one that was watching the dance floor with intense anger and the other that was watching between them and the couple on the floor.

Willow glanced back at Xander who was brooding over Buffy and Angel who were talking on the dance floor and dancing a little but they were both spellbound in each other. Xander was shredding up his napkin now in little fits of outrage. "I don't understand what she sees in him," he muttered. "He's dead! He's a vampire and well, dead!" He looked to her for understanding and she nodded.

"Very dead," she replied.

He nodded in agreement with this. "And why should she be falling for a vampire in the first place? Isn't that her job, to kill them? And now it's all 'oh Angel's so hot'," he said mimicking a high voice. Willow smiled a little at that but put on a frown when he looked her way. "Deadboy's gotta go."

Willow really frowned at this. "I- that's not a good idea, Xander. He's really helping and- and Buffy knows what to do. He seems nice."

Xander frowned at her. "That's not helping Will," he told her. "I'm going to get another drink." He stood up and ran right into Cordelia.

"Clumsy much Loser!" she demanded wiping some of her drink off of her dress that he knocked into her.

"Oh shut up, Dorky," he said and stormed to the bar.

Cordelia's eyes became slits as she glared at his back. "Oh, he did not just say that," she growled and went after him.

Willow didn't hear what they were arguing about but Xander stood up for himself for a few minutes then whatever Cordelia said must have been blistering because the crowd around her laughed and Xander looked ashen faced and headed back her way with his drink. Willow felt sad that Xander had to take the brunt of Cordelia then, but in a way she thought he deserved it for being a – well a dork. She watched Cordelia who primped herself then Willow drew her eyes back to the table. Xander sat down as Buffy came up to them. 

"Where's Angel?" Willow asked. She knew about the vampire but had yet to actually meet him.

"He had to go," Buffy told her with a happy grin. They looked to Xander who was still angry. "What's up with grumpy there?"

"Cordelia," Willow told her and Buffy nodded understanding.

"Let's book," Buffy told them. "I need to patrol anyway."

 **oooooooooooo**

The three of them walked together along the sidewalk towards the cemetery. They were getting use to coming with her on her patrols. Willow was listening to her friends talk about school and anything new that was going on in the life of Sunnydale's students. She thought about the Social Services agents, Amy, and where was she going to practice her magic if her parents were going to be home now.

The last question was answered first. She saw an old rundown house that was secluded by overgrown shrubs. There wasn't a for sale sign out front. No one wanted it. She could try that out, ward it from vampires, even go during daylight hours and see what it was like.

"What's going on with study gal?" Buffy asked her way.

Willow came back to their conversation. "Nothing,… I mean, the same."

"Your parents still home?" Xander asked. "I feel like I've been kicked out of my second, more real home."

Willow smiled at that. The two spent a lot of time at her house when his parents were on a drinking binge and became abusive. "You can always come over," she told him. "It's not like they'd notice even if they're there."

Buffy shook her head at that. "My mom would notice if one thing was out of place let alone other people in the house."

"Maybe Buffy's house is the most real of all real houses, Will," Xander said.

Willow laughed at that, Buffy smiled. "Me casa, is your casa," Buffy told them. "Just let me run it by my mom first."

Willow smiled as they continued their walk. Buffy dusted two vampires and Xander tried to help out by hitting one and danced around shaking his hand from the pain. Buffy showed him what he did wrong and the rest of the trip home was quiet. Xander's home was first and Buffy walked Willow the rest of the way. "What happened with Amy?" Buffy asked.

Willow shrugged. "She wanted to know about magic, my kind."

Buffy gave her a look. "Can she do your kind?"

Willow shrugged again. "Her mom talked about needing a wand, which I don't have and she didn't so it didn't work for her."

"Think she'll try to find a wand?" Buffy asked as they came upon Willow's house.

Willow shrugged once more. "I don't know how she would, she knows less than I do which is pretty much nothin'."

Buffy smiled her way. "You want to come over tomorrow night? We can watch some movies. Have popcorn."

Willow grinned and nodded. She loved hanging out with Buffy. She always dug through her closets filled with cool items from L.A. and they talked girly talk which Willow found she was pretty good at.

 **oooooooooooo**

Harry breathed in cool air as he rested on the platform after the second Triwizard's task. Ron was next to him as they had blankets put around them and Fleur was kissing Harry's cheeks thanking him repeatedly for saving her sister Gabrielle.

The adults were talking and Karkaroff didn't look happy. Harry glanced over to see Viktor in a blanket and Hermione in one as well talking to him. He had changed the student's view of Hermione over the last few months since the Yule Ball. Her hair was tamed a little more and she took more time to care how she dressed. Someone had her affections and she had theirs in return. Viktor Krum, who would have guessed it?

He looked to the crowds who were waving. There were the twins and next them another set of chosen twins, Ginny and Tara. They were never far apart from each other when it was possible. He looked over to see Cho Chang watching them and he smiled, even though she had gone to the ball with Cedric he still liked her and they had taken a walk along the paths around the lake.

The winners were announced and Harry found himself in a tie with Cedric for first place. Hopefully the next challenge wouldn't be so hard.

 **To Be Continued…**


	8. Chapter 8

Amy Madison walked along the back streets of Sunnydale looking at the dirty alleyways she was forced to navigate through with a bit of distaste then looked back a something written on a piece of paper. She stilled when someone just appeared out of nowhere looking like they were lost then they curled up next to the wall across the way shivering. She looked back to the wall he had just come out of and looked to her notes once more. She stepped up to the wall and reached out to touch it. Her hand went through and her body followed.

She staggered out into a dirty, unkempt living room with a bunch of couches around it and everyone looked like they had a drug problem. "Um," she said as she looked to the note again. All it said was. _'Power is the key. Rack in the disappearing doorway, he will give it to you, for a price.'_ It was in her mother's handwriting.

The only door in the room opened and there stood one of the biggest, scariest men she had ever seen. His face weathered with a few scars on it and his eyes were freaky. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. A woman stumbled out from behind him and passed out on a couch.

"You," he said looking at her, and a little through her. Amy looked behind her and he laughed, it wasn't a nice laugh. "Yes, you, I feel her on you. You are the daughter."

"I'm Amy, yeah," she got out.

He opened the doorway a little wider and ushered her in. She followed and he closed it behind her as he stroked her hair possessively.

 **oooooooooo**

Buffy hummed to herself walking along the sidewalk on patrol. She had a mocha in hand and her trusty nail polish in her pocket. She figured if there was no one out to be slain she could do a little manicure to pass the time. It had barely turned nighttime, about eight or so when she saw a familiar redhead about three blocks ahead of her walking quickly. Not that Buffy could blame her; this wasn't the best area of town to be in, which made her wonder why the shy girl was out and about. Willow wasn't a fighter, she willingly admitted it too. Not that she wasn't without courage; Willow was tough in other ways.

She followed her and noted that Willow carried a bottle of holy water in her hands. That alone would get her in trouble with her Jewish parents. She saw Willow stop a few times and look around nervously watching for anything that might go bump in the night. Buffy began to jog forward to talk to her friend and see why she was out. She could have called and Buffy would have walked with her.

Willow looked around once more then ducked under a chain that held an old chain link fence together then she disappeared from view into the dark. Buffy ran for the fence. She saw down an overgrown path and an abandoned house she had checked out for vampires a month or so ago. She followed her, now very curious as to what her friend was up to.

Buffy crept up to see Willow had made it inside to the old dining room and there were lights from somewhere. She didn't sense anything bad and it felt like Willow had put up some kind of spell to warn her if someone was too close. The Slayer reached out her hand and felt the magic just next to it, she didn't touch it, she didn't want Willow to be alarmed. She also didn't want anyone to hurt her so she stayed to watch over her. Willow said something and out of thin air appeared a small stack of books. Buffy blinked in surprise at this.

"Okay, that was cool," she said softly.

Willow began to read through one book and set a few things out. A match, a-, Buffy had to tilted her head a little to see what it was, it looked like a beetle, wow, Buffy looked to her redheaded friend again. She must be serious if she's touching bugs. Buffy smiled at that remembering when Willow had a spider in her locker and she had a little fit over it until Buffy killed it then she made Buffy go wash her hands.

Buffy smiled at the memory as she sat down Indian style and watched her friend read through her book and then begin to cast spells. The match disappeared and Willow reached down and picked something up carefully. If it hadn't of been for Buffy's excellent eyesight she would have missed seeing the needle between Willow's fingers. She smiled though; it still had the head of a match on the top of it.

Willow worked for about an hour, most of the stuff she did worked. One time Buffy was worried when she set the table on fire and Willow panicked for a minute until she did a spell that shot water out of thin air and put it out. Willow rested for a while then made her books disappear and Buffy hid as Willow dropped the spell around the house and warily left. At least she was cautious. Buffy followed her home, she was proud of Willow for keeping up with her skills but where she was doing it wasn't the safest place. She'd talk to her about letting her go with her to watch her back at school tomorrow.

Buffy was starting to think that maybe she'd be the first Slayer to make it past twenty.

 **oooooooooo**

Buffy rushed up to school five minutes before it started. She had planned to talk to Willow this morning about last night, but the day had just started out wrong and then she and her mom got in an argument and that was not something she wanted was angry mom on her back.

She went down the hallway and found Willow and Xander at Willow's locker and Xander was talking about something that was exciting and Willow rolled her eyes where he couldn't see it but she could. Buffy smiled as she came up to them. "Hey guys," she told them. Xander grinned her way.

"Hey Buff," he said.

"Buff?" she replied. She hated that nickname.

"Buff, Buffster," he started.

She held up her hand. "Be careful where you go with that," she warned him. "I can hurt you, badly."

"Hey Buffy," Willow said with a smile.

"Hey Will," Buffy replied as they headed down the hallway. "Mom and I got into a thing," she said apologizing for not being ready to walk to school together.

Willow shook her head. "Oh, don't worry about that. My mom is into that now. I think she's getting cranky being home all the time."

"Social services still coming?" Xander asked.

Willow shrugged. "Once so far." She looked his way, social services had gone to his house a few years ago, but they just squeaked by on being 'okay' parents, they were always home. Apparently being a drunk and abusive parent wasn't as bad as being an absent one.

"Hey, we get out of classes altogether next Monday," Xander said. "That's good, right?"

"What's Monday?" Buffy asked.

"The zoo field trip," Willow told her as they stopped, letting the Cordelia horde go past them, the brunette gave them a scathing look but said nothing she went by.

"Then Cordelia can go back to her home of buttmanian devils," Xander told his friends and a little louder for others to hear and Cordelia stopped and looked at them.

"Watch it monkey boy," she retorted. "Your whole family belongs there seeing where your mom works. I'm sure the zoo will want you all back in the white trash exhibit."

The group and others around laughed. Buffy looked put out, Willow looked embarrassed and Xander was just a little mad. "Yeah, well I have King Kong in my family tree then! What do you got?" he said but they were gone.

Willow bit on her lower lip a little. "King Kong was a gorilla, Xander."

"That's not a monkey?" Buffy asked as they continued on to class.

"Not technically no," Willow replied as the first bell rang.

Buffy and Xander headed off together while Willow went to her physics class. Buffy'd have to catch her at lunch.

 **oooooooooo**

Later that morning Willow headed for her computer class when Amy came up to walk by her. "Hi Amy," Willow said.

"Hey," Amy replied.

Willow looked to her, she was a little heavier than before but it didn't look bad on her, she looked healthier, except now she looked pale. "How's it going?" she decided to ask.

Amy nodded. "Good."

Willow turned a corner and Amy went with her. Okay… "Sorry that, um, 'thing' didn't work out," Willow told her.

Amy nodded again. "It's okay." She looked her way finally and her eyes were really bloodshot. "It's why I was looking for you," Amy said.

"For me?" Willow asked as she stopped in front of the computer classroom.

"I found some things in my mom's stuff, Dad's selling the house for me seeing that Mom's gone and the state decided to award him custody. There's some witch stuff that I think you'd want to see maybe you could use it seeing I can't," Amy told her quietly.

Willow looked to the student who passed them, some going into the classroom. "Okay, after school?" she asked.

"After dinner if you could," Amy said. "Dad's got the whole family thing going."

Willow smiled until she saw Amy wasn't smiling with her, she looked irritated about it. "Seven?" Willow asked.

Amy nodded at that. "Come to Ninth and State street."

Willow thought about it. "That's not a really good part of town."

"Storage, my dad just moved it all," Amy told her.

"Okay, I'll see you then," Willow replied.

"Great," Amy said with the first true smile she'd seen yet on the blond. She left and Willow turned to go into her classroom but stopped almost bumping into Ms. Calendar.

"Sorry," Willow said.

Ms. Calendar smiled. "It's okay; I thought you were going to be late. Let's get started." Willow passed her and Ms. Calendar watched Amy disappear around the corner.

 **oooooooooo**

It was almost seven as Willow headed along Main Street looking a little worried. Buffy had ended up talking to Giles about something all through lunch and then had to go to her mom's gallery after school because she was still in trouble with her. Ms. Coltrane had come by that afternoon to find both of her parents were working but still in town. Then dinner had been tense and honestly, Willow wanted her parents to go away again, she liked it better when they were gone.

She turned down Ninth and headed for State street. She spotted Amy who was waiting in an alleyway. Willow looked around; there were no storage units in this area. She walked towards her a little slower. She didn't like this, she didn't like this area. It made the magic in her feel bad. She crossed the street but stood just outside the alleyway.

"What's going on Amy?" she asked.

A man stepped out of the shadows and Willow's eyes went wide. He was tall and lean, with a bit of a pock-marked face. He didn't look kind, which was clear to Willow since blackness just radiated off of him. "Rosenberg, Willow," he said looking her over. "You're no Jewish Princess; you gotta know that, right?"

Willow saw Amy watch them; the blond girl's face was flushed but excited, like this was a good thing happening.

"She told me you had power," he said as he came closer. "A wandless wizarding witch, but you have power." Willow stepped back from him and he stopped. "You afraid of me little girl?" he asked. "I only want a taste of what you got. All I get is hopped up black magic users who want another taste of real power or those like Amy who've got a little but nothin' to do with it." Amy looked embarrassed but her eyes were drawn to him.

"What did you do to her?" Willow asked bravely making sure she stayed a good ten feet from him.

"Gave her a taste," he said with a laugh. "I think she liked it, don't you?" he asked.

Willow was stunned before but now she realized what he was. She backed off completely. "That's- that's bad, very, very bad!"

He laughed as Amy came forward passing him to get to her. "Willow, it's so wonderful, you'll love it," she told her grabbing onto Willow's arm.

Willow fought to get her arm off of her. Amy's eyes were misty black and her face was sweating and pale. "No, Amy! Don't do this! You don't want to turn into your mom!"

The man spoke a few words as he came forward and sent a bolt of black magic at her. Willow put up her free hand. "Protego!" she said. It hit a shield around her.

"Very good," the man said as he strode forward and caught her hair as Amy held onto her arm. "Just a taste." He held her hair and she felt that darkness go into her and some of her light leave. The ends of her hair shifted to black.

"Expelliarmus!" she got out and both of them flew back hitting the wall.

He laughed as he got up, but Amy groaned in pain on the ground. "Strawberries, you taste like strawberries." He faced her down as he caught a trickle of blood from his cheek where a chip of brick had hit him. "Delicious, you are going to be my favorite."

"Stupefy," she said and light flashed from her hand, Rack was caught a little by it but shook it off.

"You'll have to do better than that Strawberry," he told her as he sent more magic at her.

"Expelliarmus!" she said stopping it but it warped around her a little and her hair turned a little darker. "Petrificus totalus!" she got out angrily.

His legs and arms snapped together and he dropped over into the trash on the ground like a block. Willow felt tears come to her eyes, her hands were shaking and she was scared. Amy was up crawling by then looking to Rack then at Willow. Willow sprinted away from them silent tears running down her cheeks.

Willow didn't watch where she was going as she past the building she had walked by first and ran into a ballpark. Ms. Calendar stepped out of the shadows to watch her go. She glanced back to see Amy kneeling over Rack looking lost and scared. The man wasn't moving. She looked them both over then left following Willow's wake.

 **oooooooooo**

The knock at the door was insistent as Joyce came from the living room to open the door to see Willow there with tears running down her cheeks and her hair wasn't its beautiful shade of auburn, it was blackish looking. "Willow!" she said taking her arm she saw bruising there from Amy. She drew her in and shut the door. "What's wrong?"

Willow shook her head as she wiped her eyes. "I kno-know she's in trouble, b-but c-could I see Buffy?" she stuttered out.

"Of course. Buffy come down here please!" she called out.

"I swear, mom, I didn't do anything else," Buffy said as she came to the top of the steps to see Willow in her mom's arms crying. She hurried down the steps. "Will, what's wrong?"

Willow looked to her as she wiped her eyes again and Buffy saw the black in her hair. "I – I," was all she got out and Buffy wrapped her arms about her friend and Joyce motioned it was okay for her to take her upstairs.

Buffy nearly carried her there the redhead was almost to scared to move. She set Willow down on the end of her bed and sat down by her. Willow told her what happened to her in fits and starts of panic. Buffy saw her hands were trembling. There was a knock on the door and Joyce came in with two mugs of cocoa. "Oh honey, you're going into shock," she told her as she took a blanket out and put it around her. "What happened? Was it your parents?"

Willow shook her head. "A girl at school," Buffy told her mom as she handed her best friend some of her mom's cocoa. "She wanted to meet her after school but she didn't tell her about her drug dealer boyfriend."

Joyce looked horrified, her over alert maternal mind going into protect mode as she thought about what could have happened to Willow. "You drink your cocoa and I'll call your mother."

Willow shook her head. "She's working, she-she," she stopping talking and just looked to her cocoa and two tears spilt into it. "Could I stay here?" she asked timidly.

Joyce nodded. "Sure you can. You can stay in here with Buffy, how's that?"

Willow gave her a teary smile. "Thank you, Mrs. Summers."

Joyce smiled at that. "I'll call your mother and tell her you're staying over." She left and Willow looked to Buffy.

"I'm sorry," she told her.

Buffy shook her head. "Don't be. I'm going to kill Amy when I find her," she said angrily.

"Killing's not worth it," Willow told her.

"Then I'll stick her wherever her mom is," Buffy said as she turned her attention to her scared friend.

Joyce made a phone call downstairs out of the girls hearing. She couldn't believe what parenting went for nowadays. "Yes, this is Mrs. Joyce Summers," she told the person on the other end of the line. "I'd like to speak to Agent Coltrane."

 **oooooooooo**

Willow was so angry she could have spit nails, if she wanted to do something like that. She stormed down the street for her abandoned house. She needed to get away, to do magic, something that she knew she was good at.

They had gone to the Zoo the day before and Xander had come out of the hyena house – wrong. It was the only word she could think of for it. He had become mean and cruel, especially to her. He had essentially told her he didn't want to see her pasty face anymore, and then he and Kyle's evil group of bullies laughed about it. Buffy had talked to her trying to soothe the pain but it still hurt. Willow sighed to herself as she ducked through the chain link fence. At least she didn't have a crush on him anymore, that would have been worse.

It didn't help either what had happened with Amy. She hadn't come back to school and Agent Coltrane had showed up at her house again the next day. She sat down with Willow and her parents and talked about drugs and abuse and Willow though she was going to die it was so embarrassing, worse the agent shamed her parents who were both psychologists about not talking with her. It didn't seem to faze them much, they had gone back to work the next day, she was pretty sure they were gearing up to go to a seminar for a week. How they were going to get around Agent Coltrane on that one she didn't know.

She went into the house and headed for the living room area of the dilapidated house. It was the largest room and the best place to practice. She looked around before she lit the place up and just sat down in a dark corner on an old sofa cushion and took in everything that was going on and felt sad. Xander had always been there for her. Buffy was more it now, not that she didn't love Xander, but he focused so much on Buffy it really did hurt.

"Hey," a voice said in the dark. "When did dinner start coming to us?"

"Lumos," Willow said softly and there were over a dozen vampires spilling in the room with her through the windows, a few had started her way only to be blinding by the light. She screamed and let the spell go as she scrambled up. "Protego!" she got out as she ducked out of the way of an arm that didn't even touch her, it seemed to scrape off of a shield.

"Magic user!" one said. "She's a magic user!"

It was like a mad dash for her. Willow felt a few hands get past her shield as she struggled to reach the doorway. There were a few grunts behind her and something hit the wall as a hand caught her ankle. "Reducto!" she cried out and the vampire screamed as it was dusted.

"Watch where you're aiming, Will!" Buffy said in the darkness as more vampires fought.

"Buffy?" Willow got out as one vampire hit her hard and she was slammed back into one of the crumbling walls. Her chest stung as she sat up.

"A little light couldn't hurt though," Buffy told her from the darkness. There were dark figures all over the place.

Willow thought of light and a blue flame appeared in her hand as she stayed against the wall, her head hurt really bad. She watched as Buffy fought with a large male vampire, she did a double front kick snapping his head back hard crashing him into the wall. Then she flipped over to ram a stake into another male vampire running up behind her. Buffy spun around in a high wheel kick and took the first vampire out against a broken table leg. Coming down she did a high snap kick to one male vampire then whirled into a roundhouse kick at a female one flipping it over onto the floor. It scrambled up and took off with the three others that were left. Buffy came over to look at her.

"Bad week?" Buffy asked looking at the back of Willow's head and came out with blood on her fingers. "This looks bad."

"Not the hospital," Willow whispered. "Agent Coltrane will come."

"Giles can help," Buffy said. "We – you need to tell him. You can't do this anymore, not here."

Buffy helped Willow along the street and Willow just leaned against her as they slowly made their way to Giles's apartment.

"How did you- know?" Willow asked.

"I saw you the other night and followed you. That's what I wanted to talk to you about last week," Buffy said.

Willow looked to the small courtyard at Giles's place; she'd never been there before. Buffy knocked taking a few moments before knocking again.

"Coming, I'm coming," they could hear Giles say. He opened the door and saw the two of them. "What's happened?" he asked as he hurried them inside.

"You know, girls out having fun on the town," Buffy said putting Willow down on the couch. "A little magic, a little vampire dusting and then someone gets hurt and not so much the fun time anymore."

Giles gave Buffy a look of annoyance and sat down on the coffee table to look at Willow. "Willow?" he asked as he took the dishtowel from his kitchen and pressed it to the back of her head and saw the blood.

Tears came, mostly from the pain but part of it from just everything. "I'm a bad person Giles," she told him.

"You are not Will," Buffy said sitting down by her.

Willow nodded wincing from moving her head. "I can do magic," she admitted to the librarian. "Not evil black wiccan kinds but wizarding – I'm a witch."

Giles looked to her a little confused at what that meant then to Buffy who nodded and told him what had happened last Friday with Amy and the scary guy. "Wills doesn't do that, Giles. She's a good witch, our witch."

"I don't particularly like you doing magic, Willow. Power corrupts, this will corrupt you," he said looking to the bowed head of a scared young woman. "Let me look at your head." He did and he nodded. "It's a light flesh wound, it will be okay, they have a tendency to bleed profusely, ice should help it."

Giles looked to his two young charges as he got some ice, aspirin and some water, Buffy by council command, Willow by her association with Buffy and his friendship with the young woman. He came back with the items and Willow took a few aspirin and then held the ice to her head and laid gingerly back on it before he spoke. "I know you wish to continue your- hobby, Willow. But it might be in your best interest if you did not," he told her honestly.

Buffy gave him a look. "Have you seen her do this stuff Giles? She's really good." She stopped. "Other than the whole Amy and vampire thing which wasn't her fault, but she's good."

Giles stood up and looked to them both taking his glasses off. "I'm sure she is, but as I stated before. Power corrupts and magic is immense power –."

"There are others who can do it," Willow told him. "Amy's mom was one, but she lost her wand, so she turned to black magic."

"What?" Giles asked looking confused. "A-a wand you say?"

"Freaky isn't it?" Buffy said. "Whole bunch of them and they all use wands."

"What?" Giles stated again not understand. "What bunch of them?"

Willow looked his way; he didn't know what she was talking about. "A couple of years ago, I found a place in New York that was all witches – well men and women witches, they called it the wizarding world. No one else could see it and they didn't seem evil," she told him. Buffy nodded with her meaning she was totally on Willow's side.

Giles watched them for a long minute. Neither of them looked like it was a joke. How did he get stuck having to defend his wisdom over the whims of two teenage girls? He took his glasses off and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Dear god," he muttered.

 **oooooooooo**

Willow sat in the school library looking at a hyena video. Xander was to the side in the cage the library had pacing around and looking angry. They had found out why he was being so mean. Apparently she had taken the job of watching over her hyena possessed friend while Buffy and Giles tried to figure out how to get him back to normal. She also learned that he and the pack had eaten a pig, whole and raw, gross. And that the others, not Xander, had eaten Principal Flutie. Double gross.

Giles had spent the night before quizzing her about what she could do, even berating her a little over stealing spell books from Catherine Madison, though Buffy felt she was justified seeing how evil the woman really was and that she was going to switch with Willow's body if they hadn't of stopped her. Then he let it go telling her that he still didn't like the idea of her casting but what was he going to do about it? He couldn't stop her. Just warn her.

"Willow," Xander the hyena boy called out.

"I'm not listening," she told him. He probably just wanted to be mean to her again.

"Wiillllooww," a voice drawled out.

"Shut up Xander!" Willow said looking back at him to see him glaring at her.

"Wiiilllloooww," the voice said again. It wasn't Xander.

Willow stood up and looked around the large room as Xander watched the windows. Willow slowly looked to see Kyle and one of the girls looking back through them with scary grins on their faces. She screamed as they kicked in the windows and climbed in. The other two of their pack following them in, Xander began to pound on the cage door laughing that horrible hyena laugh and the others joined in.

"Incarcerous!" Willow said pointing to Kyle. Ropes formed and bound him together. The girls went to him as the other boy continued to advance on her. "Levicorpus!" she said pointing at him. He was flung up into the air upside down and he clawed at his pants to get free growling as Xander began to fling himself at the door of the cage. None of them were happy now.

Willow backed up towards the door as it opened. She screamed jumping around to face whatever else was coming. It was Buffy and Giles. All of them looked Buffy's way. "That's not good," Buffy said and Giles hustled both of them out of the door and down the hallway to regroup.

"They're going to keep coming," Giles said. "They will want to feed."

"On the weak right?" Willow said making a face, she was weak and they all knew it.

"You showed them, right?" Buffy told her. "Stopped them."

"We're going to need to get them back to the zoo to undo all of this," Giles said.

"And before their next meal. So that would be me," Buffy replied.

"Individually they are as strong as you," Giles said.

"Together-," Willow started looking at her friend and the danger she was truly in.

"I won't let that happen," Buffy told her. They heard the metal of the cage squeal as it was bent. "They're stupider though, you two go to the zoo, I'll get them there."

 **oooooooooo**

Willow paced nervously outside the path to the hyena pens at the zoo. Giles had gone in to talk to the zookeeper while she was the early warning system. She stilled when she heard it, that laugh, a laugh that would haunt her dreams. She ducked under the tape and ran for the hyena house. She came in to see a magic circle drawn on the floor and she could hear the hyena's in the pit below.

"Giles?" she called out. He wasn't there. "They're almost here. Giles?" She saw the zookeeper, he was wearing some weird robe and had face paint on. "Are the hyena's ready?" she asked.

He nodded. "They are. In the feeding area." Willow went to look but he stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. "They haven't been fed in a while."

"Where's Giles? They're coming," she told him.

"He's… laying in wait," the zookeeper told her as he brought out a piece of rope.

She looked from him to the doorway. "They're almost here. Shouldn't you bring the hyenas out?"

He came over to her and held her wrists up and put the rope around them. "When the time is right. I'm gonna need your help." He tied her wrists together.

"They're right behind me," Buffy yelled out from the pathway.

"There's Buffy!" Willow said looking to the zookeeper. "Get ready!" The zookeeper put her in front of him and drew out a big bowie knife and held it to her throat, her eyes going wide at that. "What's this?" she asked.

"A predatory act, remember?" he told her.

"Uh right," she got out her eyes not leaving the big knife so close to her throat. "You'll pretend to slash my throat and- and put the evil in the hyenas."

"Something like that," he said putting it a little closer.

Willow felt ill and stupid as everything connected in her mind. Buffy ran in a little winded from the chase they had led her on. "Buffy, it's a trap!" she called to her friend.

Xander ran through and jumped Buffy hauling them both to the ground inside the drawn circle. The other four of the pack ran in and the fight began.

"Yu ba ya sa na!" the zookeeper called out.

The five in the pack looked his way and their eyes flashed green then the zookeeper's eyes flashed the same green. He growled as he dropped the knife and grabbed Willow's head and yanked it to the side his teeth going for her neck. She cried out in pain, her head tender from the other night and now this.

"Willow!" Xander called out.

Willow went down in a tumble with the zookeeper and Xander. Willow watched as the zookeeper and Xander got up but the zookeeper hit Xander hard making the young man fall onto his butt. The pack had gotten off of Buffy and the Slayer fought off the zookeeper's charge at her seeing her as the enemy. She knocked him down, he got up again as Xander came over to Willow. Buffy knocked the zookeeper down again. Willow saw Kyle and his group quietly scramble out of the hyena house looking terrified.

The zookeeper growled at Buffy once again and she got under him this time and hoisted him up and into the hyena pit. There were howls as hands held onto the edge of the pit trying to get out. They were yanked off and Willow shivered at the sound of flesh and bones tearing up what was the zookeeper for dinner. Xander untied her wrists as Buffy sat down next to them exhausted.

Giles came out clutching the back of his head. "Did I miss it?" he asked. The three teenagers looked his way.

 **oooooooooo**

Xander walked with his two best friends as they headed up the stairs to class the next day with Giles following them.

"I hear that the vice principal is going to take over until they can hire a replacement," Willow told them.

"That shouldn't be too hard," Buffy said then looked to them her brow furrowing, "unless they ask what happened to the last one."

"I had nothing to do with that, right?" Xander asked worriedly.

"Oh, right," Buffy told him and she looked to Willow

"You only ate the pig," Willow informed him.

Xander smiled weakly at them. "As in crispy, crunchy bacon?" The girls shook their heads. "Oh gross!" he said covering his face in horror. "I ate a pig? Not to mention the whole trichinosis issue!"

"Well it wasn't really you," Buffy said.

"I remember going to the hyena house then waking up there with Willow and a knife to her throat," he told them.

"You saved me," Willow said happy to have nice, sweet, Buffy crazed Xander back.

He grinned at this. "Nobody messes with my Willow," he told her hugging her. "I didn't do anything else stupid, did I?" he asked.

Buffy and Willow looked to each other then shook their heads. "Nah." "Not at all." They replied.

"Good!" Xander said in relief.

"Come on," Buffy told Willow. "We're going to be late." They headed off and Willow looked back.

"See you at lunch," she told him before they went through the doors into the school.

"Goin' vegetarian," he replied to her as Giles looked to him.

"In all my books on animal possession it doesn't mention memory loss," Giles informed them.

The smile was gone and the horrible truth was there. Xander looked to Giles. "Did you tell them anything?"

Giles shook his head. "Your secret dies with me," he replied and left him.

"Shoot me, stuff me, mount me," he muttered. He looked dejected as he headed off for his own classes. He remembered it all. It was awful how he treated Willow and tried to mate with Buffy. What was really hard was remembering Willow in the library stopping the others with magic spells. When did she learn this? More importantly is why didn't she ever tell him and how long would it take for her to fess up to him?

 **oooooooooo**

Rack was bored; he sat in his lair watching Amy dance around in a haze of black magic overload. He shook his head at this, she was a fool. At least her mother had ambition to use what he traded for. Well, she'd be a good underling. He looked at her again. And she wasn't bad looking.

He felt someone new come into his waiting room. An old magic flowed in this one's veins. He got up but the door flew inward. He looked to see a pretty, dark headed woman in her late twenties look his way. "Interesting, not many witches can open my door," he told her.

"A warning to you, black death," she told him as she stepped in.

He raised an eyebrow at the name. "Black death, I like it."

"You shouldn't," she replied holding up a talisman made from a large coin carved with stars and some symbol in it, it looked old.

"What are you going to do with that?" he asked snorting out a laugh.

Amy came over. "Pretty," she said looking at it with glazed eyes as she looked to the woman. "Ms. Calendar."

Ms. Calendar's eyes narrowed seeing what had happened to the girl. She grabbed the Amy's arm and pulled her out but Amy fought with her and went back to Rack's side and the dealer smiled. "Can't keep the pretty ones away," he told her. "What about you? You want a taste?"

"Hardly," Ms. Calendar told him. "I want you to stay away from Willow Rosenberg."

Rack smirked. "Strawberry? No. That one's mine, her power is so sweet."

"You've been warned, stay away from her," Ms. Calendar reminded him.

"Or what?" he asked pointing at the coin she held up. "You think you're going to stop me with that?"

"Yes," Ms. Calendar replied matter of factly. "Redimio vox of malum unus," she started to say.

"Oh shit!" Rack got out as the talisman began to glow.

"Macero quod fade ut meus cruor dico. Sic is vadum exsisto," she said as he began to form magic to counter it.

Rack grasped at his throat and thrashed about knocking Amy over as he collapsed to the floor. His magic faded and so did the color in his skin until he was translucent. It was almost as if he had the life sucked out of him.

Ms. Calendar swallowed as she rested against the doorframe looking like it had taken a lot out of her but she cleared any weakness from her face and came over to him, grabbing his stringy hair she forced him to look her way. "If you look at her, talk to her, touch her, I will curse you in the name of the Kalderash. I curse you to fear the name of Willow Rosenberg. Believe me, you really won't like it." She left him.

He rested there feeling so weak it was worrying. Damn witches.

Ms. Calendar appeared outside of his lair, the secret entrance faded, the black magic dealer's power weakening. She stumbled to her knees and threw up. It took her ten minutes to get the strength to pick herself up and head for her car.

 **oooo**

 **Translation:** Bind the powers of the evil one. Weaken and fade as my blood calls. So it shall be.

 **To Be Continued…**


End file.
